Wicked
by Etsuke Hansamora
Summary: Meet Nikolai, or Nik. She's dark, sarcastic, strange, and not exactly...human. And meet Christopher. He's mysterious, funny, creative, and, he's a hunter. When the two meet in a café one night, things could turn ugly... Sam, Dean, and Castiel enter the story in chapter 4. Destiel
1. A Wild Life

The screams in the girls voice weren't really the girl's. They were the ghost's, who was possessing her. I'd just set fire to the ghost's bones in order to rid this world of it. The ghost had been using the girl to commit murders against those who had wronged the person in life.

As the ghost faded, the girl came back to herself. Her eyes settled on me, and confusion took over her features.

"Who are you?"

"Nikolai. But you can call me Nik. Do you know who you are?"

"My name is Amy."

"Alright, Amy, do you remember anything from the past week?"

"No. No, I don't. It's all black."

"That's a good thing. You wouldn't want to remember. Do you remember where you live?"

"Yes. Nik, what's happened to me?"

"Nothing you want to know. Just be satisfied with the fact that you and your family are safe."

"Okay."

"Come with me. I'll take you home."

"Thank you."

I pointed towards the road that had led me here, which was easily seen under a full moon. My plain, boring grey Ford was parked on the curb.

While Amy waited in the car, I recovered the grave, grabbed my pistol from the ground nearby, making sure safety was on, and stuffed it in the back of my jeans, making sure the handle was covered by my shirt.

Silently as possible, I got in the car and drove back to the little Kentucky town. Amy gave me silent directions by pointing, and got out without a word. It was time for me to go back home. But, being nearly midnight, I chose to go get a snack first.

Jane's Cafe sounded decent enough, so I pulled in there. The car to the left of mine was a hunter's green nineteen seventy-four Firebird with black racing stripes. Sweet ride. I was jealous, especially when I compared it to my Ford.

Inside, there were a few single people sitting at laptops or texting. A family of five was sitting in a booth, but the kids were all tired and pretty quiet. Two people sat at the bar, and there were only two staff members around.

I chose a seat in a corner, away from the family of five, whose toddler was now crying, and a couple tables over from a mysterious guy, staring at me.

He looked to be about eighteen, with messy brown hair, faded blue eyes, and slightly angular features. He was well muscled, fairly fit looking, and like he probably played varsity football in high school. He was wearing black combat boots, blue jeans, a white shirt and a black trench coat. A mysterious stranger indeed. And kind of creepy, with him staring at me like that.

He caught my eye and smiled, knowing I'd been looking at him. I gave him a half smirk before getting into my backpack and pulling out my laptop. Small by most standards, which is how it fit in my bag, but light and perfect for me.

While I waited for my laptop to boot up, a waitress came by.

"What can I get you...sir?" At least she'd hesitated. Most people thought I was a guy on sight. Short hair doesn't automatically make a person a boy. I'm a girl.

I decided not to say anything about it this time and ordered two cannolis, one chocolate, one butterscotch.

"Also, what kinds of hot tea do you have?"

"English black tea, Moroccan Mint green tea, and Strawberry Cream white tea."

"I'll take the green tea, please."

She left with my order just as my laptop finished booting.

"You know, you could have told her you're a girl," the guy who'd been staring said.

"And how would you know whether I'm a boy or girl?"

"Your eyes. Boys that wear eyeliner don't wear that much."

"And is that all you can judge me on?"

"No. Your order. It's very feminine."

"I have a sweet tooth."

"What's your name then?"

"Shouldn't I ask you? After all, you're the one who's been staring at me."

"Christopher."

"Nice to meet you, Christopher. I'm Nikolai. Most people back home call me Nik."

"Where's home?"

"None of your business."

"I can hear your accent. Foreign. European, probably. British?"

"No."

"Further East. Belgian?"

"No."

"Are you really Romanian?"

"No."

"You wouldn't tell me even if I did guess it, would you?"

"That's right, Christopher. Did your parents ever warn you about strangers?"

"They did, but if it's someone around my age, I don't normally bother."

"And how old would you say I am?"

"Seventeen?"

"I'll be eighteen in April."

"That's still five months off."

I didn't reply. I was busy searching for work. It was time for a new case. Besides, I didn't want to have to stick around here too long with Christopher asking questions.

"How old do you think I am?"

"Eighteen?"

"Nineteen in March."

My order came and I continued surfing the web, munching on the chocolate cannoli.

"So, Nikolai, what are you looking for?"

"Work."

"Yikes."

"I've always been pretty good at finding work. This time won't be much different."

"How many times have you been fired?"

"Never. My employment is always on a temporary basis."

"You're a holiday worker?"

"Something like that."

"At least tell me if I'm right about you being a girl."

"You're right. Although either way, you shouldn't make assumptions."

I had grey eyes that constantly changed colors to anything but red. Messy black hair and blue bangs in a Korean boys hairstyle. Angular features and slightly pointed ears that gave me an elvish type appearance. A small, skinny frame, lean muscle, and really small boobs. I was wearing plain black jeans, a long sleeved black shirt with the shoulders cut out, a black leather jacket over that, black socks, and a pair of grey and green Gucci basketball shoes that were so comfortable I occasionally accidentally wore them to bed.

"Sorry."

"Not really."

"Yeah."

When my tea had cooled a bit, I gulped it down. The waitress came and refilled it for me. I continued searching for a job.

"Any luck yet?"

"Not yet."

I glanced up and noticed Christopher also had a laptop out, though his was bigger.

"What are you doing, anyways?"

"Same thing you are, honestly."

"What kind of work do you do?"

"Same type of stuff as you."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

_Wouldn't that be the day?_

I clicked on a possible case in Texas. That was only farther from my home in Romania, but I'd come to the United States for a reason.

Apparently in El Paso, there'd been a couple of incidences involving a bridge where supposedly a girl was hitchhiking. She was normally picked up by young boys, and the boys were never seen again.

I closed out and put my laptop away, drank my tea, picked up my cannoli, and walked up to the bar.

"Do you know a place I could stay the night? I have a long drive tomorrow."

"You can try the motel. It's just around the corner."

"Thank you."

I was almost out the door when Christopher spoke up from the two person booth he was sitting in, leaning against the wall.

"You could stay and chat for a while."

"Stay and chat with you? The creepy guy in a trench coat that's been staring at me for a while?"

"I only stare because I think we have something in common."

"I really doubt that."

"Why so determined? Come, just stay until one. You're leaving tomorrow anyways."

One o'clock was only twenty minutes away.

"Alright, let's talk. But I'm not entitled to anything after twenty minutes."

"Of course."

Christopher said nothing for a few minutes, just stared at my eyes.

"Would you cut it out? You said you wanted to talk."

"Alright. Have you ever seen anything strange?"

"Of course."

"Like what?"

"Nothing a normal person like you could understand."

Christopher glanced around at the few people remaining in the cafe before grabbing my arm and dragging me after him outside.

I yanked my hand away only after realizing he had all of his belongings with him as well.

"You aren't taking me anywhere."

"Well let's start with what you've seen."

"If you're so like me, then you'll know."

"I'm a hunter, too, Nikolai."

His words stopped me from running to my car and driving to the motel to get some restless sleep.

"That case down in El Paso? I've only been a hunter for a few months, and I've seen a couple of ghosts, but this, this is different."

"Well, I've been a hunter since I was fifteen, and I've come to the point where any case could be a new type of creature, or something I've already fought."

"Smart."

"Besides the fact that we're both hunters, is there anything else you'd like to talk about?"

"I'm staying at the same motel is you, and I'm driving down to El Paso tomorrow."

"Good for you."

"Well, I was wondering if you'd like to go with me?"

"I have my own car, thanks. How did you know I was a hunter?"

"The wild look in your eyes, and the way you chose a seat where you could see everything, but you were still protected at your back."

"The answer is still no. I've always worked alone, and I've never had connections with people around me. Not since I became a hunter."

"Why did you become a hunter? What happened?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"Oh, I was just trying to exorcise a ghost that was hanging around my house. I didn't like her very much."

"Funny."

"It's the truth. So what's your story?"

"My family was killed. Parents, my little twelve year old brother, my baby eight year old sister, and my boyfriend, who'd happened to be at the house waiting for me to get home. All killed on my fifteenth birthday by a demon before I got home from school."

"How do you know it was a demon?"

"Sulfur. Besides the blood and gore all over the first story of the house, sulfur was everywhere, even upstairs. The demon was looking for me, but killed everyone I loved instead."

"You were pretty close with that other guy, huh?"

"Don't pull the jealousy card. We just met."

Christopher leaned against the Firebird, crossing his arms over his chest and giving me a stony look.

"What?" I asked, exasperated.

He shook his head, an angry smirk tilting the corners of his lips as he laughed hollowly.

"You don't even realize…"

"Don't realize what?"

"Nothin. So, Nikolai, ready to go?"

"I have my own car. I guess I'll see you in El Paso."

"I think you'll see me sooner than that."

"Oh yeah? Like when?"

"In your dreams," he retorted with a wink, before getting in the Firebird and leaving. His laughter rang in my ears.


	2. El Paso

**Christopher had guts, I had to give him that. And the fact that he owned the Firebird hadn't escaped my notice. He had a nice car.**

**I went to the motel the bartender had mentioned, booked a room, and was asleep by one.**

**Waking up proved to be a bit of a challenge. My body sought rest after fighting the ghost, but I had to get up. I had a long drive ahead of me.**

**I left my key at the desk and hit the road. I saw Christopher run out of the motel, getting in his car even as he watched me join the morning traffic. I'd lose him soon.**

**I stopped for the night in a tiny town you normally wouldn't notice. I stayed at a bed and breakfast, enjoying the homey feel of the place.**

**I reached El Paso the next day. I saw no signs of Christopher anywhere, but that didn't mean much when he'd chased after me like he had. It was late to start working the case, so I decided to go to a club. Why not? the last week or so had been nothing but work. I could have fun once in a while.**

**Outside the nightclub was the Firebird, and at the entrance of the club, a tall brunette guy wearing combat boots, jeans, and a black trench coat. Christopher, and he seemed to be having trouble getting in.**

**I opened my door and stood with my arm on the roof, still half in the car. I'd rather have the option to be able to drive away without being seen.**

**"****Come on! It's a night club!"**

**"****We don't like your type around here, Emo boy."**

**I rolled my eyes and got out of the car, slamming the door. This got the attention of the bouncer.**

**"****I was just telling your friend here, we don't accept your type here."**

**"****My type? My friends are all in there, and if you don't let me in, the whole bar is going to be wondering why you won't let a cute girl in," I said, tossing my bangs out of my eyes.**

**The bouncer stepped back a little, shocked by my face. I normally hid my face behind my bangs for a reason.**

**"****Go on in. You might talk to Blake while you're in there. I'm sure he'd more than love talking to you."**

**"****Can I go in, too?" Christopher asked, glancing at me. My bangs had fallen back in my face, so my secret remained hidden.**

**"****You know this guy?" the bouncer asked.**

**"****He's my...er...it's complicated."**

**"****You want him in there with you?"**

**I looked Christopher over, pretending to be making a decision on whether to let him come with me or not.**

**"****Sure, why not? I'm probably going to get a drunk or not be paying him any attention anyways."**

**The door opened, and we both went in. The music couldn't be heard yet, but the bass pounded, and the vibrations could be felt in the floor.**

**"****It's complicated? Seriously?"**

**"****It got you in, didn't it."**

**"****You could've just said I was your boyfriend or something. Maybe your brother."**

**"****After seeing my face, he knew you weren't my brother, and I don't lie about guys being with me or not."**

**"****Have you actually had a boyfriend since...you know."**

**"****No."**

**"****What does this face of yours look like?"**

**"****If I show you, it will only cause problems."**

**"****For you or for me?"**

**"****Both."**

**"****What kinds of problems could seeing your face cause?"**

**"****Faces are identities. My face would reveal something very clear about me I don't want you to know yet."**

**"****Are you a criminal or something?"**

**"****No! Nothing like that. Well, you might think so, but no."**

**"****Then what is it?"**

**"****I'm not going to tell you! Now don't make me go outside and tell that bouncer I changed my mind."**

**The threat silenced him, but I could feel him steaming with curiosity beside me.. We walked on, and the music reached my ears. It was an electronica song right now.**

**When we started seeing people hanging out, the music was a steady beat in the hall. When we reached the door to the bar and dance floor, the crowd was huge, and the music was so loud it threatened to break something.**

**I went straight for the bar. Christopher grabbed my elbow and pulled me close enough to yell in my ear, "Wanna dance?"**

**I stared at him, and several clubbers cleared the floor as the song changed to a slower one. I actually knew it. Counting Stars by One Republic. He held out his hand.**

**"****Alright…" I said. A half smirk twitched at the right side of my face as I pulled Christopher after me to the dance floor.**

**Several cat calls followed me, while a few girls whooped at Christopher. There weren't many people here who slow danced.**

**"****So, what were the odds of you coming to the same nightclub as me?"**

**"****What were the odds of us even meeting?"**

**"****One in six billion. But it only takes one."**

**"****Why'd you ask me to dance?"**

**Because you're interesting. And there's a lot I don't know about you. Besides, I don't want you dancing with any of the other guys. It's hard enough to get you to talk to me as is."**

**"****Yeah, well…"**

**"****What's your favorite color?"**

**"****Silver. What's yours?"**

**"****Red. Natural hair color?"**

**"****Black. Only the blue is dye."**

**What do you do when you're not on a job?"**

**"****You mean, like, what will I do if I ever go home?"**

**"****Yeah."**

**"****Well, first, I'll probably finish high school. Online, since it'll be faster."**

**"****Do you think you'll ever stop hunting?"**

**"****No."**

**"****Was I right in any of my guesses in where you live at the cafe?"**

**"****I live in Romania."**

**"****What brought you to the states?"**

**"****Revenge. I want to kill the demon who took away my life."**

**"****Okay, okay. How did you get the name Nikolai? I mean, isn't that a guys name?"**

**"****My parents thought I was going to be a boy, and didn't have any girl names picked out, so they called me Nikolai anyways. I've never minded, so it just stuck. My middle name is Luthin."**

**"****And your last name?"**

**"****Tanessi. Yours?"**

**"****Mandel. And my middle name is Bender."**

**The song ended a few moments later, and I let go of Christopher.**

**"****You got your dance. I'm gonna go to the bar."**

**Christopher reached after me, but I slipped between two other clubbers and vanished from his sight.**

**I took a seat at the bar and asked for a water. It was too early to start drinking.**

**"****Hey," a guy said, leaning against the bar beside me.**

**"****Hi."**

**"****What's your name?"**

**"****Nik."**

**"****I'm Blake, Nik. Would you like to dance?"**

**"****No, thank you."**

**"****Are you sure? I could show you a good time."**

**"****You're not my type," I said, shoving the blonde guy away.**

**"****I'm every girls type. You just have to realize how much you want me."**

**"****Go bother some other girl."**

**"****The bouncer out front is the one who recommended you for me. I have a feeling he was right. So come on."**

**"****Get away from me. Blake, right? I don't like being bothered by strange guys. And I definitely don't like guys who get in my face and try to force me to do things."**

**He grabbed my arm and yanked me from my seat. I caught myself on the bar, and he put his arms on either side of me, blocking me from going anywhere. I leaned back, trying to keep as far away from him as I could.**

**Someone grabbed Blake and tossed him on the floor.**

**"****I think she said for you to quit bothering her."**

**Christopher stood over Blake, glaring at him.**

**"****Back off, dude. I saw her first," Blake said, starting to get up.**

**Christopher put a foot on his chest, forcing him back down.**

**"****She said to leave her alone, so leave her alone."**

**"****Alright, alright. Chill, dude."**

**Christopher took his foot off him and glared at a small crowd gathered around us. Then he grabbed my wrist and pulled me after him through the crowd, out into the hallway.**

**Outside, the bouncer asked, "Leaving so soon?"**

**Christopher stomped past, tugging me with him.**

**"****Get in the car," he growled, pushing me towards the Firebird.**

**I slammed into the car, catching myself on the hood. I scowled over my shoulder at him.**

**"****Get in the car!"**

**"****No!"**

**I started walking away, back to my own car, but Christopher grabbed my shoulders and turned me towards him.**

**"****Just get in the damn car."**

**I yanked myself away.**

**"****Leave me alone. I was fine. Just because you've known me for a couple days, doesn't mean you have to start acting protective of me. Stop acting like a boyfriend!"**

**"****You were not fine. That guy was all over you."**

**"****If he'd tried to take me anywhere, I would've been more than capable of dealing with him."**

**"****What? You mean with this?" Christopher scoffed, holding up my pistol.**

**I felt the back of my jeans, but it really was mine.**

**"****Give that back."**

**"****Get in the car."**

**"****No."**

**"****Then you don't get this back."**

**I threw up my hands and went around to the passenger side of the Firebird. I slammed the door and glowered out the window.**

**Christopher got in and sighed. All the tension in his muscles relaxed, but I was still a live wire.**

**"****First things first," he said, turning towards me and yanking off the fake ear tips, revealing the pointed ones underneath. "What are you?"**

**I sighed. I knew I shouldn't have talked to this hunter.**

**"****What are you?" he demanded.**

**"****A Changeling! I'm an elf that's been raised as a human. Even with all the differences between me and humans, I didn't know. Not until I became a hunter. Then, while I was researching for a case, I stumbled on some stuff about Changelings, and I figured it out."**

**"****Give me one good reason I shouldn't kill you."**

**I turned my head and stared at him. The truth was, I couldn't think of one.**

**Christopher held my own pistol to my head.**

**"****Give me one reason." That was when I heard it in his voice. He didn't want to kill me, but I was a supernatural creature. If there wasn't a reason to let me live, then by a hunter's rules, I must die.**

**The strange thing was, a reason came to mind.**

**"****Because I can't die. Not until I kill that demon. Not until I get revenge. It's my fault my family is dead. The demon was looking for me. I have to kill it."**

**Christopher hesitated before lowering the gun.**

**"****Alright, Nickolai. How much have you lied to me?"**

**"****None. My parents thought their child was going to be a boy. I had also just been born when my birth parents switched us. Or were you thinking of something else?"**

**"****You lied to me about being human."**

**"****I never claimed to be human. You assumed. The only thing I do to hide my identity is always have my bangs in my face, and cover my real ears with fake human ones."**

**"****What does your face look like?"**

**"****Since you know, I guess it can't hurt showing you."**

**I pulled my bangs to the side, and Christopher gasped. I let my bangs fall back in place before turning back to the window.**

**"****What are the patterns next to your right eye and under your left?"**

**"****Under my left are just three small dots. The pattern by my right eye is specific to my bloodline, but I've never seen another person, much less an elf, with it."**

**"****What do the dots mean?"**

**"****They're just there. Every elf has their bloodline mark on their face, and one distinctive thing that is unique to them."**

**"****You should get a haircut. Cut your bangs so people can see your face. Neither of the marks are girly, really, so you would still pass for a boy."**

**"****You don't think my face is weird, or my piercings are creepy?"**

**"****Nah. I'm kind of curious about the spikes on your left ear, but the piecing in your right eyebrow and the ring spider bite on the left is pretty normal."**

**"****Well, the spikes going down the side of my left ear are permanent. They can't be taken out, and I don't plan to remove them. I got them a couple weeks after my fifteenth birthday, as a reminder. A reminder of the pain, and of the revenge that I seek. The eyebrow piercing and spider bite were just because I wanted them."**

**"****Well, your overall look from that is pretty edgy and dark."**

**"****Is that good or bad?"**

**"****I like edgy and dark."**

**A blush crept over my cheeks. I was glad he couldn't see it.**

**"****Well, I really must be going. I have a case to work tomorrow."**

**I got out and closed the door, walking quickly to my Ford. I'd gotten in before I'd realized Christopher still had my fake ear tips.**

**I sighed. No use going back now. Maybe I could get them from him tomorrow.**

**I found a cheap hotel and crashed for the night. I dreamt from another person's point of view. They were really tall, whoever they were. Seeing my own face, with a haircut so I couldn't hide, I could understand how I could so easily charm people. And yet, there was a quality about it that seemed boyish. Christopher was right, I could still pull off being a guy.**

**When I woke up, I turned on a police scanner while I did more research on the internet. Apparently there'd been five victims, all under the age of thirty, and all disappearing on the same bridge.**

**"****We've found the body of one of the victims of the bridge case," the scanner reported. I got up and ran to my car, heading for the scene.**

**When I arrived, the Firebird was already there. I held a fake FBI identity up for a local police officer.**

**"****Go on in. Your partner is already here."**

**"****Thank you."**

**I ducked under the tape and walked around an ambulance. There, several officials walked around the front yard of a small house.**

**"****Is this the victim's home?" I asked a nearby officer.**

**"****Yes, sir. The victim was first seen by an officer coming to check if there were any clues to the victim's where abouts. Instead, he found the victim."**

**"****Are we sure this is a homicide?"**

**"****It's something, alright. The guy was killed somewhere else, drowned, and then stabbed in the heart."**

**"****Wow. Okay, thank you, officer."**

**I got closer to the body. The guy was still damp. Blood pooled in the grass and dirt. He'd been stabbed here.**

**"****Are there any sources of water on the property, apart from in the house?"**

**"****No. And he doesn't own a tub, either. Only a shower. Unless someone drowned him in a sink, he was killed somewhere else."**

**I jogged up to the house. I tended to pick up on clues local police missed. I ran straight into Christopher.**

**"****Hey. Did you see anything...different?"**

**"****No, but you might have better luck. You're the expert."**

**I glared at him before going further into the house. I got no strange vibes, detected no trace of witchery or any other curses, found no sulfur, or any other traces of the supernatural. The house was clean.**

**"****We won't find anything here," I told Christopher when I met him back outside.**

**I went to the same woman I'd spoken to by the body.**

**"****Ma'am, are there any bodies of water nearby?"**

**"****Nothing within five miles."**

**"****Where is this bridge, where these victims are disappearing?"**

**"****About eight miles North of here."**

**"****Also, can you tell me, how long has it been since he disappeared?" I asked, gesturing towards the dead man.**

**"****One week."**

**"****Was he the first disappearance?"**

**"****No. He was the fourth."**

**"****Is there a specific time interval between disappearances?"**

**"****Yeah. About a week apart for each one."**

**"****Thank you." I hurried back under the tape and glanced around for the Firebird. Christopher was leaning against it.**

**"****So?"**

**"****Victims are about once a week. This is the first vic found, but the fourth to vanish."**

**"****How far is the bridge?"**

**"****Eight miles North."**

**"****How long since he vanished?"**

**"****A week. Which means, whatever this is, it should appear again tonight."**

**"****To the bridge?"**

**"****To the bridge. It's our best clue right now."**

**We parked in the lot of a family dollar store on the East side. The bridge didn't seem to be very busy, even being nearly two o'clock. I'd slept in that morning.**

**We couldn't find anything strange about the bridge, and the water was too dark to see anything in. I mentioned trying the banks of the creek, but there didn't seem to be any nearby ways down.**

**"****You want to go get dinner, then?" Christopher asked at five, when we'd looked everywhere possible.**

**"****Might as well. But we need to be back by nightfall."**

**"****Will you accept a ride from me yet?"**

**"****Not as long as I have my own car. Where do you want to meet?"**

**"****Olive Garden alright with you?"**

**"****Sure. Been a while since I had Italian food."**

**I followed the Firebird to Olive Garden. It was only a fifteen minute wait.**

**"****Strange. They're normally busier," Christopher commented.**

**"****Yeah."**

**"****You alright?"**

**"****Yeah, I'm fine. It's just, I'm not used to my ears showing."**

**"****I'm not giving you back the fakes."**

**"****Why not?"**

**"****Because I like your real ears better."**

**"****But, hunters-"**

**"****Won't be a problem with me around."**

**"****Why are you being so nice to me? I'm a supernatural. You're a hunter. You're supposed to kill things like me."**

**"****I want to help you. You want revenge. I'm going to help you hunt down the demon that took away your life, and your naivety."**

**"****Why, though?"**

**"****Because you're interesting."**

**"****What's so interesting about me?"**

**"****Well, you're supernatural, for one. Two, I've known a few girls who were tomboys, but none quite so much as you. Then there's your wonderful, sarcastic, dark sense of humor."**

**This caused me to laugh.**

**"****What?"**

**"****You're just so naive about me!"**

**"****Well, I've never actually hung out with a supernatural before. You're the first one I've ever talked to and had a pleasant conversation with. And you're definitely the first I haven't killed at the first meeting."**

**"****What do you want to know about supernaturals?"**

**"****What do you do all day?"**

**"****Supernaturals aren't so different from humans. We might have different needs for food or environment, but we just live our lives, same as humans."**

**"****What does that mean though? What do supernaturals do?"**

**"****Well, we have to sustain ourselves, for a start. Yes, some of us have to eat meat, but some creatures try to be decent and don't eat humans. Those who don't eat humans generally try to fit in with them. A lot of us have normal jobs. Some of us even become famous and humans are none the wiser. We have families. We mourn the loss of those families. Some of us can die. Others can't, unless we're killed."**

**"****Can you die?"**

**"****No, I can't. Not unless something kills me," I said gravely.**

**"****You sound upset by that."**

**"****Think about it. You're an immortal being that watches the world go by for centuries. You look like a twenty year old, max, for the rest of your life. You can't ever truly fit in, you're constantly in danger of being hunted. You don't have any friends, any loved ones, because you know if you get attached, you'll just have to leave them in a couple years because they'll start noticing. They'll start noticing, that you never change."**

**"****Your life sounds awful."**

**"****That's what it is to be an immortal supernatural. Living in Hell on Earth."**

**"****Have you ever killed a human?"**

**"****No."**

**"****What do you eat?"**

**"****I don't like much meat. I pretty much stick to the veggies, grains, and the poultry."**

**"****Do you know why your parents switched you with a human child at birth?"**

**"****No idea. I never actually saw my parents. I was switched before either of them even looked at me."**

**"****Do you remember your entire life?"**

**"****I remember more than most humans, but even I don't remember everything from when I was a baby."**

**A waiter came and led us to a table. I ordered a caesar salad, and Christopher got Mozzarella sticks.**

**"****So, have you considered my thought on getting a haircut?"**

**"****Actually, I have. I think I will. It'd be nice to not have to look through a curtain of hair anymore. I'll just get my bangs shortened, and I'll be fine."**

**"****I'll take you to a place tomorrow."**

**"****I can go by myself. I told you back at the club, stop acting like my boyfriend."**

**Christopher's eyes narrowed, and he glowered at the wall rather than look at me.**

**Our appetizers arrived and I ate about half of my salad and one of the Mozzarella sticks. Christopher ate the rest of them and part of my salad. I had Fettuccine Alfredo, and he ate Chicken Parmesan.**

**I was about to ask for a check, but Christopher ordered a dessert to share. Molten lava cake. It was delicious, when it had cooled enough to eat.**

**Christopher paid the check, refusing to let me. We walked out together.**

**"****Are you still mad?" I asked quietly.**

**"****No. I'm not mad. I never was. It's just frustrating that you won't let me try to help you."**

**"****I never asked for your help, and I certainly don't need it. I've been fine on my own for two and a half years."**

**"****What you've been doing isn't living. It's surviving."**

**"****Have you ever heard of the Winchesters, Christopher?"**

**"****Yeah, of course. Almost any hunter has."**

**"****Well, the Winchesters do almost the same thing I do."**

**"****No. It's not the same. You have no friends, no family, no one you care about. Those boys have each other, and some friends they've picked up along the way."**

**"****Well, the biggest difference between them and me, the reason they have others and I don't, is I'm not human. I am not a human, Christopher. You have to understand that. I was raised as if I were human, I act human for the most part, but I am not one of you. I don't have friends, or family. My family was taken from me, and I lost any friends I had when I left home."**

**"****I'm trying to be your friend. Heck, I'd be fine with just being your partner and working together."**

**"****You're a human, Christopher. I'll still be here long after you're gone. I don't want to get close to anymore humans. I don't want to watch anyone close to me die. Do you know what it's like to live with the guild of innocent lives on your hands? Five people are dead because of me!"**

**"****You should be thankful you didn't have to go with them."**

**"****You don't get it. You just don't get it. The world is against me. I'm not only being hunters by hunters, but by other supernaturals. There is nobody on my side, and everywhere I am, there's only danger."**

**"****I'm on your side."**

**"****Why? Do you want to get killed?"**

**"****At least if I'm with you, you know whether I'm dead or alive. Leave me behind and you'll have no idea."**

**"****Shut up! Just shut up!"**

**Everything was silent around us. We were seven blocks of traffic from the bridge, but I still heard the crash, the whoosh of a lot of flying water.**

**"****Come on!"**

**I grabbed Christopher's hand and dragged him to our cars.**

**"****What is it?"**

**"****The bridge!"**

**He glanced at the sky, where twilight was unfolding. We went as fast as the law allowed to get to the bridge. The bridge was dark, and a three block radius around it was empty. We parked by the dollar store again and raced to the railing. Neither of us could see anything in the murky water.**

**"****What are we looking for?"**

**"****I heard something crash into the water. I picked up on it because it was an unusual noise. It sounded big, like it might be a car."**

**"****I don't see anything, do you?"**

**"****No."**

**"****Great. Now, come on."**

**He pulled me away from the edge.**

**"****Wait…" I murmured.**

**"****What?"**

**"****I don't know...I sense something. Another supernatural. It feels similar to a ghost, but it's not."**

**I followed the bridge in some. The middle of the bridge was gone.**

**"****Christopher!"**

**He ran to where I stood, taking in the jagged edge of the bridge.**

**Suddenly, the other supernatural presence I'd said got stronger. It was behind us.**

**Slowly, I turned to look. A sopping wet, teenage looking girl stood there, shivering even in the Texas heat. She was wearing a simple white dress that reached her ankles, and her hair hung in her face. Her hands seemed strangely pale.**

**"****Christopher…"**

**As soon as he turned, she was gone.**

**"****What?"**

**"****I saw a girl. She was sopping wet, and she was wearing a white dress. She looked like a teenager."**

**I glanced over my shoulder, and the bridge was normal.**

**"****Look!"**

**He turned back to the bridge.**

**"****It's like it was never broken."**

**"****Yeah…"**

**"****Let's go. I don't want to hang around here until we find out more."**

**I let him pull me away, but kept looking over my shoulder. Just before we got off the bridge, I saw her again. Only, this time, her hair was tossed back. Her face was as pale as snow, and her lips ruby red. Her eyes shown purple. She smiled an evil little smile, and then she was gone again.**


	3. The Girl in White

**There was a knock on the hotel door, and I jumped and grabbed my pistol. I walked slowly up to the door, and there was another knock. I opened the door a crack at a time to find Christopher standing there with his arms crossed. He pushed past me into my room.**

**"****Nice to see you, too," I said sarcastically.**

**"****I think I've got something."**

**He pulled out his laptop from his bag, along with a rosary, salt, and some water. **

**"****You didn't need to bring this stuff, I have my own."**

**"****The more the merrier."**

**"****Why are you here, anyways? How'd you find where I was staying?"**

**"****It wasn't hard to call and ask hotels for Nickolai Tanessi. I just waited until I found a place that actually had you staying there, and hung up."**

**"****So, what is this grand idea of yours?" I asked, waving my hands in the air to mock him. While his head was turned, of course.**

**"****To kill a ghost, and I saw that," he said with a smirk.**

**"****I told you earlier, it's not a ghost. Whatever that girl is, she isn't any kind of normal ghost."**

**"****No ghost in this business is a normal ghost."**

**"****That's not what I mean."**

**"****Amuse me."**

**"****You already amuse yourself," I said, smirking at his indignant look back at me.**

**"****Whatever," he said, opening his laptop. "I've been looking at the history of that bridge and the only thing I could find that fit anything like this, a girl know by the locals as Mary Yoo-hoo, said she was driving along that bridge when the brakes on her Ford V-eight gave out and she went out of control."**

**"****Did she crash into the railing?"**

**"****Nobody knows. They never found her car and the rails were intact."**

**"****What did she look like?"**

**"****It says here she was late to a wedding, her wedding, so I assume a white dress."**

**"****Well, a good place to start would be her fiance. Who was he?"**

**"****Edward Kelley."**

**"****Print off the address. Let's go."**

**"****Problem, he killed himself after he thought she ditched him."**

**"****Does she have any living family, or are any friends mentioned?"**

**"****Not around here, she ran off with Ed when she was eighteen."**

**"****How old was she when she died?"**

**"****Nineteen, apparently she was six months pregnant."**

**I flopped back on my bed, defeated. It seemed like the only record of this girl was what we were looking at.**

**"****You're the one with experience and you're giving up already? Let's go check their house, at least thats close."**

**"****Is it?" **

**"****Yes, three hundred North, Cambell."**

**"****As good a place as any at this point."**

**"****Let's go then, and we're taking the firebird."**

**"****I have my own license and car. I don't get why you keep trying to get me to ride with you."**

**"****Carpooling is better for the environment."**

**I sighed.**

**"****Fine. I'll ride in your car."**

**A triumphant grin spread on his face before he packed his things back in his bag and went downstairs.**

**"****Let's just hope he doesn't pull the trigger on you soon," I muttered to myself.**

**I followed Christopher outside and to the Firebird. The tires screeched as we sped off. Christopher was always right at the speed limit. Being from Romania, this didn't bother me. What bothered me was that I was a sitting duck in this car with this hunter. Now that he knew my secret, it was only a matter of time before he killed me.**

**We crossed the bridge in getting to Mary's house. My senses were on high alert, and every sound, every movement at the corner of my eye, was a threat. Christopher didn't show that he was tense much, but I could see his knuckles turn white from gripping the wheel so hard. He was as nervous as I was.**

**The road turned to dirt as we neared Mary's house. Trees created eerie shadows, and the only sound to be heard from outside was the chirping crickets.**

**Mary's house was a big two story, with a wrap around porch and a two car garage next to it. Some of the glass in the windows was broken, the door was weathered and beaten, and the house looked overall like it was rotting. It looked like a truly haunted house.**

**Christopher got out first, pulling a magnum from the center console. He used the door for cover, checking everywhere around us before looking back at me.**

**"****It's alright. I don't think she haunts the house."**

**"****You keep treating her like a ghost, but I don't think that's what she is. Where's my pistol?"**

**"****Back seat. Figured you'd ride with me at some point. I was surprised you didn't ask for it back earlier."**

**"****I'm surprised you haven't shot me yet."**

**I grabbed my nine millimeter and was very cautious getting out. Christopher had checked everything, but with less pleasant supernaturals, you never knew.**

**"****Why would I shoot you?"**

**"****You were about to outside the club."**

**"****I'd just realized I was hanging out with a creature I'd normally hunt. I mean, I'd suspected, but I wasn't sure."**

**"****Why did you suspect I wasn't human? What gave me away?"**

**"****I'll tell you later."**

**"****I'm bringing it up now."**

**"****Do you want to work the case, or stand here chitchatting?"**

**I rolled my eyes and closed the door, walking carelessly up to the door. It was unlocked, and creaked as I opened it. Dust covered the wood floor.**

**"****How long ago did she die?"**

**"****Twenty-five years ago, in nineteen eighty-nine."**

**"****And she's just now become some kind of supernatural?"**

**"****Supernaturals are weird."**

**"****Shut up."**

**We checked all of the rooms for creatures, supernatural or otherwise.**

**"****Nothing upstairs," Christopher called as he came back down.**

**"****Nothing here, either," I said.**

**"****Then we can look for clues now. Where do you want to start?"**

**"****Let's check the garage. I want to see if we can find out anything about her car. It might tell us more about what happened to her."**

**"****I'll go in first, in case something is in there."**

**We went outside and he opened the garage door. He went in a couple steps.**

**"****Don't come in unless you're not easily disgusted," he said.**

**"****What's in there?"**

**"****I found where Edward's body was found. There's still some...remains left."**

**"****What?"**

**"****Just some blood and decaying gore. I think the bats had been eating at him before they found him."**

**"****How did he die?"**

**"****He hung himself."**

**"****As long as his actual body isn't in there, festering, decaying, and being eaten, I think I'll be okay."**

**"****Feel free to come in, then."**

**I flipped on the light and saw the blood stains Christopher was talking about. There were also a few maggots and a piece of...something that belongs in the body. There were no bats on the ceiling, which meant they'd all probably been cleared out before the police closed the garage up and left.**

**Christopher and I rifled through some papers on the desk, looked in the glove compartment of the single car in there, and looking inside the opened safe. None of the papers were about the missing Ford.**

**"****You know what's kind of freaky?" I asked Christopher.**

**"****That you have the same type of car Mary did?"**

**"****Yeah…"**

**"****Why do you think I made you come in the Firebird with me?"**

**I didn't reply as I looked in one more place in the garage, a cabinet of some sort next to the desk. Only the top drawer had a few papers. The other three were tools.**

**I went through the papers in the top drawer, pausing when I came across the title and some of the other papers from the dealership where the Ford was bought. Everything we wanted to know about the car was there.**

**"****It was a brand new car. She'd only had it for two years when she died."**

**"****She obviously didn't like it much," Chris said, pointing his flashlight on something shiny.**

**"****Bad joke," was my only comment.**

**"****What?" he asked, puzzled, walking to the rear fender of an old car.**

**"****Nevermind. Anyways, there's no reason the car would've had any problems. So, it wasn't the car."**

**"****New cars have problems all the time, especially Ford."**

**"****My car hasn't had any problems. I got it when I came here."**

**"****Cause you've never had a good car."**

**"****A car that doesn't have problems isn't a good car? Humans are weird."**

**"****No, you're used to a shit car, so you don't know that it's bad."**

**"****Whatever. What are you looking at over there?"**

**"****Just some old car parts, that look new for how old they are."**

**"****You mean like, someone has been in here?"**

**"****No, like old car parts that are pristine."**

**"****There's nothing else to be found in here. Let's go back to the house."**

**Christopher walked out while I was putting the papers back in the cabinet. I was closing the door then remembered the light. I turned to switch it off, and found myself looking at the girl from the bridge.**

**She didn't look evil, like I'd first thought when she'd smiled at me. She was smiling at me now, the same way. She was just happy someone was finally helping.**

**"****What happened to you?" I asked her.**

**She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. There was a blast behind me and she burst into smoke.**

**"****Why'd you do that?"**

**"****That's what you do to make them go away."**

**"****She was trying to talk to me. She isn't evil."**

**"****She's supernatural, it's our job."**

**"****Hard to do our job if we can't figure out why she's here. And I'm supernatural. What does that have to do with anything?"**

**"****She has been killing people. That counts as evil, therefore we kill it."**

**"****Just let me talk to her, alright? We don't know for sure she's responsible for the deaths. After all, what if she was killed?"**

**"****Of course she was killed, she's a ghost."**

**"****No she isn't. I don't get why you keep calling her a ghost. You just shot her with salt, and look what happened. But what I mean is, what if she was murdered?"**

**"****Good, we have a reason why she's back."**

**"****I give up. You don't listen to reason. If there's another supernatural that caused her death, it's probably what's causing the deaths of the others." I switched the light off and closed the door.**

**"****No, I don't listen to reason, which is why you're alive. If I would listen to reason you'd be dead."**

**Frustrated, I went back to the Firebird and got back in. He was one of those hunters that shot first and asked questions later, if ever. I'd never be able to figure out what really happened with him around.**

**"****Well, what now?" he asked, getting in the car.**

**"****Take me back to the hotel. I'll probably sleep for a few hours, since you thought the middle of the night was a great time to come here. Then, I'll keep trying to figure out this case."**

**"****Let me know if you figure anything out."**

**"****No, I'm going to tell Donkey Kong," I said sarcastically.**

**"****Who?" he asked, generally confused.**

**"****It's bad when I know more about your race than you do. He's a videogame character."**

**"****Well, that shows you that humans treat animals better than their own kind. I never had any video games."**

**"****What kind of twenty-first century teenager are you?"**

**"****The kind that is always on the road and never had a real loving family."**

**"****I think there's a story to be told somewhere in there."**

**"****With every pair of eyes there's a story."**

**"****Good point. So what's the story behind your eyes?"**

**He doesn't talk but instead puts on 'Behind Blue Eyes' by Limp Bizkit. He starts singing along and gets really into it.**

**"****Alright, my turn." I went through his CDs, until I found one with a rock song I liked. He stopped me.**

**"****My car, my tunes."**

**"****It is your tunes."**

**"****What song?"**

**"****Just listen to it, you dummy. It's among your very impressive collection, so I'm sure you'll like it."**

**"****I haven't even listened to half of this. They were mostly my dad's."**

**"****Oh. Well, if you like rock music, you'll like it."**

**"****Fine."**

**I switched the CDs and skipped to track six. ACDC's 'Highway to Hell' blasted out of the stereo. Now it was my turn to get all into the music. Christopher just looked at me weird.**

**When the song ended, I gave him a look. "What?"**

**"****Nothin."**

**I shook my head and rolled my window down. The wind blew my hair messier than normal. I felt Christopher's gaze on me again.**

**I looked over and he looked back to the road. Was this...another attempt at flirting?"**

**When I saw him glance out of the corner of his eye at me, I smirked. He turned his head, just as I turned to look back out the window.**

**To end the silence, I checked the back of the CD case again before skipping to track eight. Now Thunderstruck blasted out of the stereo. I bobbed my head in time and stared out the window at the sky. With so few lights around, the stars looked amazing.**

**"****That's not the way to head butt to this song."**

**"****Then how would you?" I asked curiously.**

**"****How about no," he responds.**

**"****Aww, why not?"**

**"****My hair isn't not long enough, and I don't feel like being an idiot."**

**I laughed. "Being an idiot is the best thing to do!"**

**"****Not in the presence of a pretty lady, creature, thing," He winked at me and I feel myself blush.**

**"****I'm not pretty. And I'm definitely not a lady," I muttered.**

**"****Well you definitely remind me of one."**

**"****Whatever."**

**The song ended as we came up on the bridge. I tensed up, until I saw Mary standing in the middle of our lane.**

**"****Stop the car!"**

**"****No, we won't hit anything," he says, speeding up.**

**I glared at him before opening the door and jumping. I flew over the railing, right down to the water. I prayed it was deep as I took a huge breath. It was freezing and the rapids were horrible, but I landed in the deep part of it.**

**I sputtered as I surfaced and swam for the shore. Pulling myself out was hard, but I managed it, collapsing on a rock and staring up at the sky. Mary's face appeared over me.**

**"****I'm okay."**

**She nodded. She pointed to an old Ford V-eight that was slightly opaque.**

**"****You want me to ride with you? Are you sure it can do that?"**

**She shakes her head and holds out a closed hand. I reached out and she put something into my hands.**

**Looking at the item, I saw keys. Car keys, attached to one of those remote things that could unlock and lock cars from a distance.**

**"****Thank you for your help. There's something else here, killing people, isn't there?"**

**She nodded, then glanced up in the direction of the road. I couldn't see it from here, but I heard the footsteps. When I looked back at Mary, she was gone.**

**"****Nik! Nikolai! Damn it, where the fuck are you?"**

**"****I'm alright, Christopher!"**

**He skidded down the hill to the bank beside me.**

**"****Are you insane? You could've killed yourself!"**

**"****Don't be such a jerk next time."**

**"****I wasn't being a jerk, I was doing my job."**

**"****Being stupid about a case isn't your job."**

**"****How do you think all those people go missing? They would brake and crash," he slightly yelled.**

**"****Actually, that's where you're wrong. I was right. Mary isn't killing people. She was killed by something else."**

**"****Doesn't mean she's not killin 'em on accident or somethin."**

**"****Don't make me jump off another bridge."**

**I got up and crawled towards the V-eight hidden among the trees.**

**"****Where are you going?"**

**I pointed out the car, which, now that I could make it out better, I could see was wrecked. Smashed sideways into a tree. He look around where I was pointing his face, confused. I could tell he couldn't see it.**

**"****Ugh, just come on."**

**Reaching level ground, I stood up. As I got closer to the car, I could see half buried pieces of metal in the dirt. It must've been an awful crash. God, the things humans miss.**

**"****How did you know this was here?"**

**"****Mary told me. She even gave me the key."**

**"****You're insane."**

**"****Yeah, well, apparently insane is solving the case, so don't complain."**

**"****Insane is trying to figure things out while I go and kill stuff, or at least try."**

**"****Yes, because that's smart, when you don't even know what you're fighting."**

**"****What else do you want me to do? Wait around at my hotel room, wondering if you've gotten yourself killed?"**

**"****You could try to help me figure this out, for one, instead of being so difficult."**

**"****Or I could do my job."**

**I couldn't help it. I just blew up. He was so frustrating!**

**"****You know what? Go ahead! Go! You aren't being any help here! Or better yet, go back to your hotel room. If I do die, you probably won't care anyways!"**

**"****You're just a monster, anyway. You're right , I wouldn't care, cause you're nothing to nobody!" He stomped back up the hill to the bridge.**

**I would've stayed to look around the wreck further, but I had a long walk to the hotel. I just hoped I wouldn't meet Mary's killer anywhere along the way. I was walking along the road after a couple of honks aimed towards me someone pulled over to pick me up.**

**I didn't have to look in the driver's seat to know who it was. I could tell from the purr of the engine of a sixty-seven Impala anytime. Winchester boys.**


	4. Winchesters

**"****What are you two doing here?" I asked Sam when he rolled down the window.**

**"****Do we know you?" he asked, confused.**

**"****No, but every hunter in America, and probably where I'm from too, knows who you are."**

**"****Dude, what's wrong with your ears?" Dean commented, confused.**

**"****Nothing. What's wrong with your face?" I asked, smiling.**

**"****There is nothing wrong with his face," someone with a deep voice pitched in from the back.**

**"****It's a joke, Cas," I said, peering in to see his face.**

**"****Oh. I don't get it."**

**"****Nothing to worry about. Seriously, though, what are you guys doing here?"**

**"****Someone from our mechanic shop called us here," Dean said.**

**"****Why?"**

**"****We don't need to tell you."**

**"****Nothing looks wrong with the Impala, but whatever. Do you guys need directions or something? Because I'm really the wrong person to ask. I'm just working a case here."**

**"****What kind of case?"**

**"****I haven't figured much out yet. My...partner, I guess you'd call him, isn't being much help, and I've only been here two days. So far, all I know is there's a supernatural killing people on the bridge just back there, and a girl named Mary was killed by the same supernatural twenty-five years ago."**

**They looked at each other and nodded, and offered to let me in.**

**"****That's not a great idea. If you hadn't noticed, I'm kind of soaked. I took a dip in the river. Jumping out of a car. Um, you know what, I'll just shut up and keep walking."**

**The guys all gave me weird looks, but I kept walking. I felt really stupid. Human interaction, or interaction of any kind, was not my strong point. They kept proceeding to try and pick me up, obviously Sam's idea.**

**"****I really don't want to mess up the car. It's kind of my fault I'm walking, anyways. I didn't press driving my own car, and let Christopher give me a ride. We got in a fight, and he drove off. So, yeah."**

**"****Who's Christopher?"**

**"****I met him a few days ago after finishing up with a case. We both ended up coming down here for this case, and we've been working on it together. Call him my partner, or my acquaintance, or my biggest annoyance, or the idjit who ditched me in the woods. Take your pick. Whatever he is, he's not here now."**

**"****Where is he?"**

**"****He could be anywhere by now. I don't know. Like I said, he drove off."**

**"****Where are you two staying?"**

**"****I don't know where he's staying, but I'm at the Ranger's Inn."**

**"****We'll check there first, get in."**

**"****Check there first for what? Christopher? He's not going to be there."**

**"****Where else could he be?"**

**"****Anywhere in El Paso. He's not my family, Dean. We aren't together or anything. He doesn't care about me. All I know, is he won't be waiting at my hotel for me."**

**"****Just get in the damn car," Sam said.**

**Surprised, I took very small steps and got in the backseat with Cas. I felt so awkward being with the Winchesters. I'd heard so many rumors and stories, and now they were giving me a ride.**

**"****What's your name, anyway?" Dean asked.**

**"****Nikolai. Or Nik, if you like," I said, putting my head in my hands over my lap.**

**"****You're not about to start crying, are you, Nik?"**

**"****No, Dean. I'm fine."**

**"****You shouldn't be so insensitive, Dean," Cas chided.**

**"****Whatever."**

**"****Are you okay?" Cas asked me.**

**"****Fine. I just want to get back to my hotel, change clothes, and go to sleep."**

**None of the three said anything else, which I was glad for. I didn't want to talk anymore, even if they were the Winchesters. When we pulled up outside the inn, I got out.**

**"****Thank you very much for the ride, Dean. It would've been a long walk."**

**"****Dangerous, too. You are a hunter, aren't you?" Cas asked.**

**"****Yes. But I didn't really have any other choices did I?"**

**"****Kinda unusual," Cas said, looking intensely at me.**

**"****Yeah, well, I'm all around kind of unusual. See you around, boys."**

**I walked inside, heading for the stairs, when someone cleared their throat. I turned around, and there was Christopher, leaning against the stair rail, looking up at me.**

**"****What are you doing here?"**

**"****Took you long enough."**

**"****I had to walk part of the way." I walked up the stairs, leaving Christopher to follow me up or just stay down there. I hadn't expected him to be here, but now that he was, I didn't know why.**

**"****Are you okay?"**

**"****Why are you asking?"**

**"****I said some nasty things back there. Who brought you back?"**

**"****You were saying what you think, and if that's what you think, then that's what you think. As for who gave me a ride, the Winchesters are in town."**

**"****I guess you have a bigger problem then."**

**"****No kidding. Dean already commented on my ears." I opened my room, and Christopher didn't even hesitate to follow me in.**

**"****Why are you here?" I asked him again.**

**"****To apologize and to ask if I can still help."**

**"****Sure, you can help. But why are you apologizing to a monster?" I asked, my voice bitter.**

**"****Because some monsters are nice."**

**"****Some are. But I'm nothing to nobody. And, by the way, that's some really crappy grammar."**

**"****I don't care. I mean, about the grammar thing. But I said a lot of really stupid things. I was mad, and I just…"**

**"****Sometimes I think humans are the most truthful when they're angry, because they don't filter their thoughts. They just spit them out."**

**"****No. That's never when humans are most truthful. That's when humans are defending themselves. That's when there's something they're hiding from you, because they don't want to be that vulnerable."**

**"****Yeah? And what were you hiding from me? Plans to put a bullet in my head?"**

**"****No! I was hiding my feelings. I was really offended by what you said. That I wouldn't care if you died? You're wrong. I would. A lot."**

**"****Why?"**

**"****I don't know! I just know I'd care, alright? When you jumped out of the car, I was scared. I thought you were about to die. I parked the car over at that family store and ran back to look for you. I thought you'd landed in the water, so that was the first place I checked, calling out for you in case you were lost in the woods somewhere."**

**"****I didn't want you to stop because I was scared you would hit her. I wanted you to stop so I could try to talk to her again."**

**"****If I would have stopped we would have ended up like the others that saw her and freaked out."**

**"****We weren't freaking out though."**

**"****We were going fast enough that the car would have slid right off."**

**"****That car has some terrible traction then."**

**"****It's still better than that Ford you have."**

**"****Don't dis the Ford."**

**"****What's it gonna do? Run me over?"**

**"****No, but its owner will."**

**"****I'd like to see you try."**

**"****Don't tempt me."**

**"****Are you still mad?"**

**"****Yes. You made me jump out of a fucking car going forty miles an hour into a river. Then I had to swim and pull myself out. And I'm still dripping wet."**

**"****Do you have a change of clothes?"**

**"****Of course. But these are my only shoes."**

**"****A beaten up pair of Guccis? Where does a hunter even get a pair of those?"**

**"****From having them since you were fourteen."**

**"****Those are three years old? Why aren't they more beaten up?"**

**"****Because they're really good shoes."**

**"****Whatever."**

**"****Can you get out, now?"**

**"****No."**

**"****You stubborn bastard."**

**"****That's the closest I've seen you to cursing," he said, slowly clapping.**

**"****I'm Romanian. Now, get the fuck out. I'm not changing with you in here."**

**"****Alright, but I'll be back. Watch out for the Winchesters. They're not as nice as I am."**

**"****So far, they've been nicer to me than you have. They didn't even know my name yet and they gave me a ride."**

**I closed the door behind him and went to take a shower. I wanted to get the cold river off of me.**

**There was a knock on the door.**

**"****Who is it?"**

**"****Me," Christopher said.**

**"****Get out for a few more minutes. I am taking a shower."**

**"****I think I'll come in, then," he said, a teasing tone in his voice.**

**I rolled my eyes and stayed in the shower until he left the room.**

**"****Don't worry, I'm in the living room, just put on a towel."**

**"****Go outside. I'll come out when I'm dressed."**

**"****I promise, I'm going to stay here."**

**"****Please, just for once, listen to me?"**

**"****I listen to you. I just choose not to comply most of the time."**

**"****Well, comply this time!" Under my breath I muttered, "Fucking bastard."**

**I heard the door close, but that didn't mean anything. I did the safe thing and got mostly dressed in the shower, before stepping out so my pant legs wouldn't get soaked. I put my bracelet back on, and walked out into the living room.**

**Christopher was sitting on the couch, and he'd turned the TV on.**

**"****Yes, because this is leaving."**

**"****I stayed on the couch though, didn't I?"**

**"****That's not the point."**

**"****Are you okay? I really was worried when you jumped. You were lucky you didn't hit the railing."**

**"****Sure. I mean, it was kind of cold, and I was happy to land in the deep part of the river so I didn't die. I got to talk to Mary like I wanted to, and I found her car. That's a big jump on the case."**

**"****I don't care about the case right now. Are you okay?"**

**"****I'm fine. But, it's nice to know that you worry about me and you do actually care."**

**"****Yeah, I still can't believe I'm friends with you."**

**"****Only friends," I said, and glared at him.**

**"****It's good to know we're still at least friends."**

**"****For now."**

**He winked at me. And I slapped him.**

**"****The pain only makes it better." He winked again and grabbed my arm before I slapped him again.**

**I yanked my arm away and shoved him, so he fell over on the couch. Somehow, I ended up up on top of him.**

**"****How romantic," he said, smiling.**

**"****I hate you so much," I said, getting up.**

**"****If that was true, you wouldn't have gotten in that car with me."**

**"****I can hate you and still get in a car with you. I like the Firebird, that's all."**

**"****So you admit that your Ford is crap."**

**"****I admit I like American muscle. That doesn't mean I agree with you about the Ford."**

**"****You should, it's a piece of shit."**

**"****What did I tell you. It's mine and I like it."**

**"****Whatever."**

**"****Not really. I just hate agreeing with you sometimes," I said, smirking.**

**"****Ha! So, the Ford is a piece of crap."**

**"****Was there a reason you came back?"**

**"****To check up on you," he said smirking.**

**"****Sure," I roll my eyes.**

**"****Alright, not that way. But seriously."**

**"****Well, go away. I want to go back to the car tomorrow, and I want to have time to eat breakfast."**

**"****I could just stay here with you."**

**"****No."**

**"****Aww, why not?"**

**"****No."**

**"****I promise I'll be good?"**

**"****No you won't. Now, go."**

**He got off the couch, but pulled me up with him.**

**"****Come with me?"**

**"****Hell no!"**

**"****I thought not."**

**He let go, and I fell back on the couch. I looked around, but he'd already left.**

**"****Maybe I'll finally get a peaceful night's sleep," I muttered. I flopped back on the messy bed, running my hands through my hair and trying to silence my thoughts.**

**I didn't remember actually falling asleep, but I woke up to knocking again.**

**"****Go away, Christopher!"**

**"****It's not your sort of partner," a gruff voice called.**

**I got up and changed clothes as quickly as I could.**

**I opened the door as I tugged my shirt the rest of the way down, finding Dean in front of me.**

**"****What are you doing here?" I asked, thoroughly confused.**

**"****I know you aren't human."**

**"****What are you talking about?"**

**Dean chuckled, but there wasn't anything funny in his tone.**

**"****You aren't human. Does your partner know that?"**

**"****I'm as human as you are, Dean."**

**"****The irony in that is unbelievable."**

**"****Why is that?" I asked as he backed me into my room, and closed the door.**

**"****Because I'm not human, either."**

**His normally green eyes flicked, turning black as hell. The perfect description, because Dean wasn't lying. He wasn't human. At least, not anymore. He was a demon.**

**"****You knew before you even actually saw me, didn't you? You sensed me, and you did it again to find me here, so you can kill me."**

**"****Well, that's kind of my job. I hunt and kill supernaturals."**

**"****Except for yourself and Castiel."**

**"****Leave Cas out of this."**

**"****So the rule only applies as long as you don't know or don't like the person."**

**Dean pointed a finger at me and opened his mouth to argue, then stopped. He sighed and dropped on the couch.**

**"****You're right. I don't even know you, or what you do. Why are you hanging out with a hunter?"**

**"****I've been a hunter far longer than he has. We just met a few days ago."**

**"****Why are you hunting supernaturals?"**

**"****Because I was normal once. I thought I was human. Then a demon took my family away, because it was looking for me. I've been trying to track it down since, and I've been hunting other evil creatures along the way."**

**"****How old are you, Nik?"**

**"****I'm surprised you even bothered to remember my name," I said sarcastically.**

**"****Me too, honestly. So, how old are you?"**

**"****Seventeen. And if you're wondering, Christopher is eighteen."**

**"****This ain't about him. It's about you. You're the supernatural."**

**"****So kill me, if that's what you came here to do."**

**"****Does Christopher know you aren't human?"**

**"****Yes."**

**"****Why didn't he kill you?"**

**"****I don't know."**

**"****Do you want to be killed?"**

**"****I wonder sometimes."**

**Dean's head cocked to the side and his black eyes changed back to their usual green.**

**"****What do you mean? Like, you've actually considered it?"**

**"****I actually have. Dean, you're immortal now. I've been immortal since birth, but didn't know until shortly after my fifteenth birthday. But, think about that concept. Never dying. Being here for ages while you watch any humans you know, including your brother, grow old, and eventually, die. But you never change."**

**"****What about you?"**

**"****I told you. My family is dead. Christopher is the only human I know much of anything about. I wouldn't mind getting to know Sam, as a friend."**

**"****You like Christopher, don't you?" Dean asked, a smirk lighting up his face, clearing away any signs he was a demon.**

**"****I don't know. Sometimes I hate him and swear I want to strangle him."**

**"****That's the makings of a crush."**

**I looked at him like, ****_Really? You want to bring this up now?_**

**He shrugged.**

**"****Dean, do you know who killed my family? Or, at least why they were looking for me?"**

**"****Can't say I know either of those things. I've been a demon all of two weeks."**

**"****Are you going to try to make yourself human again?"**

**"****Yeah. If I can. I feel bad for you. There isn't a way for you to become a human, is there? You have no choice but to take your life, let something kill you, or live forever."**

**"****That's right. As a Changeling, I was raised as a human. I tend to act humanely, and I speak like many of you. But, being an elf, I'll never grow to be older than twenty, and I'll look the same way, always."**

**"****You're kinda formal."**

**"****I'm Romanian. Not American."**

**"****Hey, are you fugly or somethin, cause I've never seen your face behind those bangs."**

**I pulled my bangs up out of my face.**

**"****Okay. Not fugly."**

**I let my bangs drop again.**

**"****If you cut your bangs, Christopher could see your face. He'd fall at your feet."**

**"****Why are you giving me advice about getting Christopher to like me?"**

**"****I dunno."**

**"****Didn't you come here-"**

**"****To gank you. Yes, I know. Shut up about it. I'm not going to kill you."**

**"****Why are you still here, then?"**

**"****To talk?"**

**"****Get back to Sam and Cas, you idjit."**

**Dean paused.**

**"****What'd you call me?"**

**"****An idjit?"**

**Dean gave me strange look, then he got up and walked to the door.**

**"****I'll be seeing you, Nik."**

**"****Bye." I flopped down on the couch, already regretting getting up.**


	5. My Family's Killer

**As soon as he left, there was another knock on the door.**

**"****Who is it?" I called, irritated.**

**"****Did you eat your breakfast?"**

**"****No."**

**"****Why not?" Christopher asked as he opened the door and came in.**

**"****Because, if you didn't see him in the hall, Dean paid me a visit. In fact, he woke me up."**

**"****But that's my job."**

**"****Whatever. Point being, no, I haven't eaten."**

**"****We'll stop at the family store. Come on."**

**"****I don't know if I want to ride in a car with you again."**

**"****And who's giving you a choice? If you've done your research on the people that died ,they all drive a version of the Ford. I'm not letting you drive that Ford until the 'woman in white' is dead."**

**"****Thanks, at least, for not calling it a ghost."**

**"****Yeah, well, after what I said I'm trying to make it up. I guess."**

**"****Still on about that?"**

**"****Always. I can never, ever make up for what I said."**

**"****Whatever," I said, blowing the bangs out of my face. He smiled stupidly and I blushed.**

**I follow him back to his car and get back on the leather covered seats. I dont know why but the leather just felt right.**

**"****I see you're enjoying yourself," he said, getting in.**

**"****The seats are nice."**

**"****Thanks?"**

**We were quiet for a while. I was just enjoying the wind and looking at the red Texas landscape.**

**"****So what did you and Dean talk about?"**

**"****I don't see how that's your business."**

**"****He knows, so you've said. Why didn't he kill you?"**

**"****Why didn't you?"**

**That question threw him off like it always does. We arrived at the same diner we stopped at yesterday.**

**I had some pancakes and eggs, and Christopher ate nothing. He sat quietly, staring out the window. He refused to let me pay again.**

**He tensed up when we were getting ready to leave. I turned and looked over my shoulder out the window.**

**"****Winchesters," I murmured.**

**"****We need to get you out of here."**

**He tried to pull me away, but I yanked my arm back.**

**"****Stop it! If Dean didn't kill me, Sam certainly won't."**

**"****Trouble tends to follow the Winchesters around."**

**"****And it's our job to take care of trouble. Now cut it out."**

**The boys came in, seeing us.**

**"****Nik, come on. There's trouble coming, fast. And it's coming for you," Dean said.**

**"****The demon," I breathed. "Get out of here, and take Christopher with you," I told Dean.**

**"****What? Heck no. I'm not going anywhere, especially if you're thinking of doing something stupid," Christopher objected.**

**"****I'm not being stupid. I'm going to kill the bastard, or bitch, that took away my family."**

**"****Do you even have a gun on you?" Dean asked, obviously believing I didn't.**

**"****Yes, but it'd be better if I didn't show you it at the moment," I said, cautiously looking around the diner.**

**"****What kind?"**

**"****Nine millimeter."**

**Sam tossed something silver to me, and I caught it. A nine millimeter bullet. Looking at it, I saw a demon trap engraving on it.**

**"****Don't hit me," Dean warned, then grabbed Christopher's arm and dragged him out of the diner. He shoved him into the passenger side of the Firebird, and Sam got in the driver's side. Dean ran back to the Impala. And they were gone.**

**I looked around the diner. It had a lot more people than yesterday. This wasn't a good place for a fight.**

**I ran outside and noticed a big empty lot a little down the street. I headed there, loading the demon trap bullet as the second bullet in my clip. In case I missed the first time.**

**I stood my ground in the center of the empty lot, turning in circles, gun held ready. I didn't want it to sneak up on me.**

**A voice spoke from behind me, the direction of the street.**

**"****Hello, beautiful."**

**I whirled around, and there was a guy standing there. He didn't look much older than me, but, being a demon, he was in a meat suit. His eyes were all black.**

**"****Why do you hide your pretty face?" he asked as I stared.**

**Here, this demon. This was the one who had killed my family in search of me.**

**"****I hide my identity. Who are you?"**

**"****Well, while you keep your face hidden so your identity remains a secret, Nik," he said, emphasizing my name. "I choose to keep my name a secret."**

**"****I think I deserve to know the name of my family's murderer."**

**He tisked and wagged his finger at me.**

**"****That's such a nasty word. I prefer to think of it as I removed someone who was in my way."**

**"****Are you the one who killed Mary twenty-five years ago, and is killing all these people on the bridge now?"**

**"****Ah, good girl. That's right. Killing Mary was an accident, believe it or not. I was in the road, and she swerved to avoid me. I found her wrecked car in the woods, but she was still alive. Naturally, she'd seen me, so I couldn't let her stay that way. I chased her down to the river. She tried to get away, and fought very bravely. In the end, however, she drowned."**

**"****And the others?"**

**"****That was in hopes of luring you here. I knew you'd become a hunter, searching for me. So I created a case for you. I made it look like Mary was killing those people, by making part of the bridge vanish, the car get swallowed up in the murk, then the bridge reappear. Your partner, as you call him, was dumb enough to believe it. But you, you're clever. Very clever. You talked to Mary, who is now a Woman in White. Unfinished business. She knew I'd come back, to kill others. She had to warn the next hunter that came through. And, what do you know, that hunter is you. Congratulations, you solved the case."**

**"****So, what is it you want from me? Why have you been searching for me for nearly three years?"**

**"****You're so much more than your birth parents ever realized. Or maybe that's why they traded you, because they were scared. Your adoptive parents had no idea you weren't theirs, nor any idea that you weren't human. Simply put, you're powerful."**

**"****In what way?"**

**"****Ways I can't explain. All I know is my boss wants to talk to you."**

**"****Who?"**

**"****The King, obviously."**

**"****Hello, lovely," another voice said. Turning to my left, I found a relatively normal looking guy. His eyes flashed demonic for a moment, then back.**

**"****Who are you?"**

**"****Crowley, love. The one that's acting like a child over there is Gage."**

**"****Sounds like a teenager's name."**

**"****Did you see his meat suit? But, that's not why I'm here. I'm here to talk about you, love."**

**"****I have a name."**

**Crowley gestured me to go on.**

**"****I'm Nikolai."**

**"****Mind if I call you Nik?"**

**"****Actually, yes, I do mind."**

**"****Sorry. So, Nikolai, how much did he tell you?" he asked, pointing at Gage.**

**"****He created the case here hoping I would come because I'm a hunter. I'm powerful. He killed my family."**

**"****That's it?"**

**I nodded.**

**"****Shoot him."**

**"****You're not my boss. Besides, I may want to shoot you instead."**

**"****You want your revenge, don't you?"**

**"****For the present moment, I prefer my life over my revenge."**

**"****Ah, boy troubles?"**

**"****No. I'd just rather not die at the hands of you two. Him especially," I said, jerking my head at Gage. "Then there's the fact that I'd rather someone know how and why I died."**

**"****No matter when, where, or how you die, you're alone Nik. Your family is dead. Your birth parents are who knows where and didn't want you anyways. Your boyfriend when you were fifteen, also dead. Friends, you have none. You have nothing here. Nothing at all."**

**"****Is there a point to all of this, or should I just shoot him and be done with it?"**

**"****Don't rush me child."**

**"****Sorry, Crowley, but you're more likely to die than I am, so I'm likely going to live longer than you."**

**"****Whatever. My point is, every day you are growing stronger."**

**"****What does that mean?"**

**"****More creatures hunting you, more hunters hunting you. Likely going into hiding."**

**"****No, I mean, what powers are you two talking about? I have no special powers. I just look a little different and I'm immortal."**

**"****That's where you're wrong, Nik."**

**"****Nikolai," I said.**

**"****Gesundheit. As I was saying. Special powers. You have many already that you have no idea how to use. Over the course of the next three years, you'll get many more. So, here is my problem. Eventually, you will become more powerful than me. If the angels haven't already contacted you, they will soon. But you will be more powerful than their leader, as well. The only ones who'll be able to control you are God, and Lucifer."**

**"****Why am I this powerful?"**

**"****Because you're a child of prophecies."**

**"****Am I supposed to be some kind of war ender or balance bringer or something? I mean, how do you know I'm a child spoken of in one of you so called prophecies?"**

**"****Because unlike most prophecies, in this one, the main character is named. You're the main character."**

**"****You have the prophecy written down, on you, don't you? You want me to play on the side of the demons in whatever this is."**

**"****Of course I do."**

**"****Well, forget it."**

**"****You fight for the angels, then?"**

**"****I don't fight for either. I fight for my life and the life of anyone I care about."**

**"****You fight for yourself and one puny human? Do you know how easily I could kill him?"**

**"****If you or any of your demon henchies touches him, you die."**

**"****Oh, I believe you."**

**"****Give me the prophecy. I should know what's going on. And what powers do you keep talking about?"**

**Crowley held up a little scroll.**

**"****This is the prophecy. You get it after you show me one of your powers."**

**"****I don't have any powers!"**

**"****Have you ever had any weird incidences, or done something strange, and been unable to explain it?"**

**I thought back through my life. It's happened on many occasions. Weird things happened around me wherever I went. My parents told me a story from when I was five months old. I'd gotten out of my crib somehow. My siblings found me at the door to my older brother's room, banging a little fist to be let in. I had not a single mark on me, but the top of the crib railings were five feet off the floor.**

**Another time, when I was three, I was playing in a pool. I walked across twelve feet of water, like there was nothing to it. When asked to repeat it, I took a step and made a splash.**

**When I was five, I was playing with a kite, and it got stuck in a tree. The wind blew the other way, and my kite flew out. The wind blew it around the tree, and it continued on its path.**

**When I was nine, my family and I had taken a road trip, and the car had broken down. I was playing in an orchard with this creepy scarecrow. I was climbing a tree, and I slipped. I fell on the scarecrow's shoulders. I thought I'd broken my arm from the way it was bent, but the scarecrow moved underneath me and I freaked out. He danced around a little bit, holding me on his shoulders. I laughed, and then he took me back to the edge of the orchard, because my parents were calling me. He set me down just inside the tree line. Looking at my arm, there was nothing wrong with it. I ran back to my parents and told my mother about the scarecrow. I pointed at where it had been, but it was gone. Both of my parents said it was my imagination.**

**When I was eleven, my older sister started yelling at me because I had left a toy in the hall and she'd stepped on it. She looked away for a split second, and I'd wished I was somewhere else. Suddenly, I'd found myself in my little ten year old brother's room, building with legos. He didn't seem surprised to look up and see me sitting there with him.**

**And when I came home, on my fifteenth birthday, and I saw the cops and the ambulances and several reported vans, I had to know. I had to go look around. I slipped under the rope and walked into the house. I was hoping nobody saw me, or anything. Nobody stopped me. One woman nearly ran into me, but she didn't even glance at me. It's like I was invisible to all of them. So I'd looked around the house, and I saw everything. Police must have just gotten there, because scenes weren't even numbered yet, and the bodies hadn't been covered. I didn't stay long.**

**Those weren't the only incidents, but they were some of the more memorable ones.**

**"****So you're saying I can fly, walk on water, control the wind, make a scarecrow come to life and go away without my parents seeing, teleport, and turn invisible?"**

**"****I don't know. It depends on the incident. But, at the present, I doubt you can do all of those things."**

**"****So what can I do?"**

**"****Find out. Focus on something you'd like to do. If you vanish, I will assume you did, indeed, teleport."**

**I pictured NIghtcrawler from X-Men in my mind, and smirked. I focused, and thought hard about what I saw Gage had done to my family. I wanted him dead. I got really mad really quick, then heard a strange poof noise.**

**I appeared in front of Gage, pistol held up to his forehead, glaring straight into his eyes.**

**"****Now how did you do that?"**

**"****What does it matter. If I were you, I'd be focusing on the gun barrel pointed at your head, not how I got over here."**

**He tried to glare back at me, but I saw the fear behind the facade.**

**Nikolai vanished in black and blue smoke, reappearing right in front of me, with a gun to my head.**

**She glared at me, and I tried to keep her gaze, but her eyes were changing colors in a freaky way. One eye had turned silver, the other black like a demon's.**

**It kind of freaked me out. I mean, this was a Changeling. What made her so powerful? It was weird. I mean, how could this small girl possibly be a prophecy child?**

**Something told me I may not live to find out.**

**"****Put the gun away, Nikolai," Crowley called from the other side of the lot.**

**"****I'm not sure if I want to."**

**"****You'll listen if you're wise, girl."**

**I was tempted to pull the trigger right there. I was about to, but I stopped.**

**"****Why would I listen if I were wise?"**

**"****Because if you don't, you may be shot yourself."**

**"****Bullets don't kill elves. But, you knew that, Crowley. I'm sure you do, as well, Dean," I spoke up. I could sense him as a supernatural now. I couldn't earlier, but something told me he was in full demon mode right now.**

**"****Yeah. I did a little research on Changelings. You're not fugly, so you're not a troll. No wings, so I figured you weren't a fairy. That left an elf. So then I did research on elves. How do you like iron?"**

**"****I'm not a fairy, you idjit. What are you even doing here?"**

**He gave me a dumb look, obviously trying to figure out the fairy comment.**

**"****One of a fairy's weaknesses is iron. Not elves."**

**"****What are your weaknesses then?"**

**"****I'm not telling you. What are you doing here?"**

**"****All I know is Crowley summoned me. I hate him for that, but technically, he's my King, and I can't refuse a summoning from anybody."**

**"****Well Crowley wants you to kill me. Since you obviously didn't ask for Sam's help in your research, you have no idea how to kill me. There's no reason for you to stay here."**

**"****Dean, show her the blade."**

**"****I'm not killing her for one of your sick jokes, Crowley. What's the problem?"**

**"****She's got Gage at gunpoint. And, as a hunter, those bullets could be loaded with anything. She needs to back off."**

**"****Nik, toss me your gun."**

**"****No! He killed my family. He admitted it!"**

**"****Nik, I've actually fought your kind before. These aren't normal bullets. These are incendiary."**

**I stopped, glancing down at the dirt beneath me, my jaw hanging open. How did he know?**

**"****Yeah? What's that supposed to do?"**

**"****I fought a big group of evil Changelings a few years ago. Your only weakness is fire."**

**"****To your knowledge my only weakness is fire," I said, turning my back on Gage. I pointed the gun at Dean.**

**"****You have others?"**

**"****Or it may not be fire at all," I said, smirking.**

**Dean looked pretty unsure of himself now.**

**"****You're really thinking about shooting me?"**

**"****If I have to. This isn't your fight. You shouldn't be here. Leave."**

**"****I can't do that as long as he tells me to stay," Dean said, pointing at Crowley.**

**"****You promised me you'd take Christopher with you. Who's watching him right now? Sam? No, Sam is coming after you. So who's watching him?"**

**I glanced behind me, but Gage was gone. Realising his intentions, my anger flared, and I ran straight at Crowley. I decked him just before I teleported away in a cloud of smoke.**

**"****Man, that girl can punch," Crowley said, wiping at the cut above his eye. Already a black ring was forming as it swelled.**

**"****Why are you isolating this girl? What's so special about her?"**

**"****A prophecy, Dean. But I'm afraid that's all I can tell you. The rest is up to her. But, give her this. After all, I promised if she proved one of her powers to me, I'd give it to her."**

**He tossed me a rolled up piece of paper.**

**"****Say hello to your moose for me."**

**"****What the hell is this thing? Crowley!"**

**He'd already vanished.**

**"****Dean! Are you alright?" Sam called, pulling up in the Impala.**

**"****Fine."**

**"****Where's Nik?"**

**"****Chasing the demon that killed her family. And is gonna try to kill Christopher. Tell me you left somebody with him."**

**"****Cas is there."**

**Now I was panicking as much as Nik. I ran to the car.**

**"****Give me the keys."**

**He got out and into the passenger's seat. I burned rubber as I turned out onto the street.**

**I was in dark house. Not a single light on. Knowing I'd been thinking about Gage at the time of my teleportation, I crouched down for a second and pulled out an ordinary switchblade. I'd gotten it from home, so the blade's design was kind of whimsical.**

**I held my gun in my left, and the knife in my right. I was glad I was an elf right now, or I wouldn't have been able to see anything.**

**A light flicked on, and I found myself in a headlock, some kind of blade at my gut.**

**I used my own knife to block my attacker's and flipped around, raising my gun to...Castiel's face.**

**"****I'm not sure how you did that."**

**"****Doesn't matter. Where's Christopher?"**

**"****He's not dead yet," a voice behind me said.**

**I turned the gun on the person, and sure enough, there was Gage. I kept my knife at Castiel. At this point, I trusted nobody except the guy I was trying to save.**

**"****I am not your enemy," Cas said.**

**"****Shut up. Right now, everybody who isn't Christopher is my enemy."**

**Tires squealed outside. Great, that meant Sam and Dean were probably here. I did not have enough weapons. Or enough hands.**

**The door banged open, and I knew Dean had his gun pointed at the back of my head, even if he was behind me.**

**"****Let go of Cas."**

**"****He attacked me first."**

**"****Let him go."**

**I flipped the knife around so the blade faced behind me.**

**Cas walked slowly over to Dean and Sam.**

**"****Step aside."**

**"****Shoot me if you want, but I kill him first."**

**Christopher poked his head out from the bathroom. When he saw what was going on, he hid back behind the wall for a moment.**

**"****Why haven't you killed me already?" Gage asked.**

**"****Because you're possessing a person."**

**"****So?"**

**"****So he's still alive."**

**"****I'm sorry to tell you, but I've been in this body for years. If you take me out, this boy dies as well."**

**"****Is that how it works?" I asked Dean.**

**"****If the body takes a wound that would be fatal, then, yes. As soon as the demon comes out, the human will be dying or dead."**

**"****Then what am I waiting for?"**

**"****You're not a killer. Move aside."**

**I recalled my family. What this demon had done.**

**I pulled the trigger twice.**

**"****Woah, okay. Yes, you are willing to kill things. Put the gun down," Sam said.**

**I folded up my switchblade and brought my foot up, sliding it back in my left shoe. The gun, however, stayed out.**

**"****Kid, put the gun down," Dean said.**

**I turned the safety on and stuffed the gun into the back of my pants again.**

**"****She didn't actually kill me."**

**"****No, but try to move a couple steps. Go ahead, try."**

**His foot didn't budge. He tried moving his arm, too, but he couldn't move.**

**"****What have you done?"**

**"****Demon trap carved into the bullet."**

**"****Dean, if you don't mind, toss me something to kill this bastard."**

**"****Here," Cas said, placing the handle of his blade in my hand.**

**I stabbed Gage. He glowed like he was on fire from the inside, then his body dropped to the floor. Dead.**

**"****Alright, the asshat is gone. We done now?" Dean asked.**

**I yanked the blade out and gave it back to Cas. Christopher came back out from the hallway.**

**"****Everybody alright?"**

**Nobody said anything.**

**"****Nik, are you hurt?"**

**"****I'm fine. I just had my mind toyed with by demons."**

**"****What do you mean?"**

**"****Nothing, nevermind."**

**I stepped over Gage's body and sat on the couch. It was only ten o'clock in the morning, and I was already tired.**

**"****This is yours," Dean said, holding out the scroll I'd seen Crowley hold up.**

**I took it and stuffed it in my right shoe. The guys all stared at me.**

**"****What?"**

**"****You're not going to look at it?" Dean asked.**

**"****Not now. But, the case is done. Gage was the one killing people. He killed Mary, too."**

**"****Really?" Christopher asked.**

**"****Yes. I told you it wasn't her."**

**"****I know. I'm sorry I didn't listen."**

**"****Now what?" Castiel asked.**

**"****First, I'm going to find Mary. We have to let her know that her business on Earth is finished now."**

**"****Then?"**

**"****Then I'm going to take a nap. After, I'll go to a nightclub. Tomorrow, I look for another job, and I leave."**

**"****Just like that?" Dean asked.**

**"****Just like that."**

**"****I can't allow that," Sam said.**

**"****You don't have to. I'm seventeen, and I've been on my own for almost three years now. In Romania, I'm nearly an adult."**

**"****But you're still a kid. And here in the United States, you're also still a kid. You can't be running around without a guardian," Sam said.**

**"****Oh? And who's going to be my guardian and look out for me? You and Dean? Yeah, right. Dean and I have nearly traded bullets three times now, and I literally just had Cas at knifepoint. None of you like me."**

**"****That is not true. You were acting in self defense against me, and I would be willing to take care of you," Cas said.**

**Dean gave him a weird look.**

**"****I've never had a kid, but maybe taking care of you for a while wouldn't be a bad place to start," Sam said.**

**"****I like you. You've got a good bit of fight in you, and you're as stubborn as us. You'd fit right in," Dean said.**

**"****And what about Christopher?"**

**"****He'll tag along. Won't you?"**

**"****If she does," he said.**

**All the guys looked at me again.**

**"****Alright. Fine. Are we going to make this an official adoption, or am I just going to be running around with you guys now?"**

**"****Come on, kid," Dean said, opening the door.**

**Dean, Cas, and I all got in the Impala. Sam and Christopher stayed behind to clean up.**

**We stopped outside a big, imposing building. Something to do with the law. I didn't want to be here.**

**"****Stay here," Dean said. Apparently, Cas was there to watch me while Dean was inside.**

**Great.**

**"****Dean told me you are an elf Changeling."**

**"****I am. I'm surprised you didn't sense that."**

**"****I'm not normally looking for things. Did you see your family, after what happened?"**

**"****I must have been invisible, because nobody tried to stop me going in, and somebody would have, just to save my innocence. They hadn't even labeled the scenes yet. It was a mess. A big, bloody mess. And Gage didn't even care. Crowley didn't care."**

**"****Crowley hates emotion, and Gage hadn't been human for many years."**

**"****Why are you defending demons? You're an angel."**

**"****Because of Dean."**

**"****Dean isn't like the others."**

**"****Neither are you."**

**"****What?"**

**"****Have you ever seen your eyes when you are angry?"**

**"****No. I haven't given my reflection a good look since I was fifteen, and when I'm angry, I'm normally killing something."**

**"****Well, you are a Changeling. That's true. But you are only half Changeling. Changelings are the offspring of mythical creatures. But, that means you are half something else. Still immortal, still with all of your Changeling powers. But, this may explain why you are going to become so powerful."**

**"****So, what are you saying?"**

**"****I'm saying that, while you take on the characteristics of your Changeling nature, that is not all that resides in you. When you are angry, one eye turns silver, like those of the true elves, and the other turns black."**

**"****Like...like a demon."**

**"****Yes."**

**"****But how is that possible? Elves are typically creatures of light, are they not?"**

**"****While mischievous at times, yes, they are."**

**"****And demons are dark creatures. So how is that possible? Wouldn't I practically be at war with myself?"**

**"****Your two sides fight for control. But, neither overpowers the other, so you remain in balance."**

**"****Could my eyes become like that permanently? Always showing both sides of me?"**

**"****It's not impossible. You are young for a supernatural."**

**"****I'll never fit in anywhere, will I? I'm definitely not human. I'm not a true elf. I'm not a full-on demon. I don't belong anywhere."**

**"****Wrong. You belong with me and Sam," Dean said, getting back in the car.**

**"****What?"**

**"****Welcome to the family, Nikolai Luthin Winchester."**


	6. Kidnapped to Romania

**"****Did you just hear that? I don't belong anywhere. I'm completely wrong. I should never have been born!"**

**"****Well, you're mine now, Kidd. Guess what? I don't care."**

**"****Are you just going to start calling me Kidd?"**

**"****I give Sam nicknames all the time."**

**"****Whatever. So are you technically my dad or my uncle?"**

**"****Look at the adoption certificate."**

**I looked down at the paper in my lap. I was now Dean's daughter. Sam was my uncle.**

**"****Don't expect me to start calling him Uncle Sam," I said, cracking up.**

**Dean grinned at me in the rearview mirror.**

**"****Woah. What's up with your eyes. One of them is, like, glowing silver. I can see it even through your bangs."**

**"****Can you see the other one?"**

**"****Nope."**

**"****Great. That's one fear realized. There's no point in wearing long bangs anymore. They won't hide me."**

**"****Haircut tomorrow."**

**"****Sure. But for now, let's just get back to Sam and Christopher."**

**"****Are you okay, Nik? With your eyes, I mean. I'm sure there's a way to change them back, if you want," Cas said.**

**"****No, it's fine. It's just going to take me some getting used to. Along with all of you guys."**

**"****Honestly, they look nice to me."**

**"****You have to say that, Cas. You're practically my second parent."**

**"****Woah. How did you know anything about that?" Dean asked.**

**"****Like it's hard to tell?"**

**"****Is it really that obvious?"**

**"****Only for hunters who have talked to each of you personally."**

**"****Whatever. But Cas is right. I can't see what color your other eye is, but the silver one is nice."**

**"****You won't want to see my other eye."**

**"****Why not?"**

**"****You might get scared. You did hear our conversation while you were in there, didn't you?"**

**"****All I heard was you saying you don't belong anywhere."**

**"****Well, Changelings are the offspring of an elf, fairy, troll, or other mythical creature, right?"**

**"****Right."**

**"****It takes two parents to make a child."**

**"****Okay, so, what's your other half?"**

**I moved my bangs to the side, uncovering my demon eye. It was my right eye.**

**"****Holy shit! So, when you said you don't belong anywhere, you meant…"**

**"****That I really shouldn't have been born. Do you still want to be my dad?"**

**"****Of course. It doesn't change whether I like you or not. It's just a bit to take in, you know?"**

**"****I get it."**

**We arrived back at the house. The Firebird was nowhere in sight.**

**"****Where are they?"**

**"****I don't know. Stay here, Kidd."**

**Dean got out by himself and went into the house. He came back out, but no Sam or Christopher.**

**Dean got back in and pulled out his cell phone. Sam picked up.**

**"****Hey, Dean."**

**"****Bro, where are you?"**

**"****Christopher and I decided to leave this funkytown. We're on a plane, headed for Romania."**

**"****A plane? What the fuck?"**

**"****Like I said. We didn't want to stick around that funkytown."**

**"****Romania, then? Your niece isn't going to be happy. Still, we'll be on the next plane out. See you soon."**

**He hung up.**

**"****Bloody hell! Why the fuck are they on a bloody plane to Romania?"**

**"****It's not by choice. They're in trouble."**

**"****What do you mean? What the bloody hell is going on?"**

**"****I know you're upset about going to Romania, but calm down, Kidd. Your accent is coming on thick, and between that and the foreign cursing, it's hard to understand you."**

**"****What the hell is going on?" I asked, having to control my urge to say bloody and to slip into my accent.**

**"****Funkytown. It's mine and Sam's codeword. Yours, too, now. It means we're in trouble."**

**"****From what?"**

**"****There's no telling. Just know that, in going to Romania to get them back, we're walking into a trap."**

**"****Before we go, I have to talk to Mary."**

**"****Alright. Anything else we need to do?"**

**"****I need to grab my stuff from my hotel room. Other than that, whatever you guys need."**

**"****I need food."**

**"****There's a little family dollar shop by the bridge. I'll go talk to Mary, and you guys can get the food and drinks."**

**"****Sure."**

**When we stopped, I was the first one out of the car.**

**"****What's your favorite snack and favorite soda?"**

**"****Just get me iced coffee and some Swiss Rolls."**

**"****Alright. Simple enough. Be back here in twenty minutes, or I'm coming after you and killing any other supernaturals I see."**

**"****See you in twenty."**

**They went inside, and I used the rage I had buried after hearing about Sam and Christopher being gone to teleport to the river bank.**

**"****Mary?"**

**She appeared in front of me, still dripping water, as always.**

**"****Mary, I found out what happened to you. It was the demon. And he came back, killing people, to lure me here."**

**Mary signed thank you in sign language to me.**

**"****You're free now, aren't you?"**

**She nodded, then pointed at me, and at her eyes.**

**"****Yeah. New to me, too. Something about being a prophecy child, and being half elf, half demon."**

**She nodded, then looked up at the sky. She must have seen her fiance, because she smiled so prettily. She looked back at me and waved as she faded. Just before I couldn't see her anymore, the water was gone, and she was a really pretty girl, running towards something.**

**A bright white light floated into the sky until the sun blotted it out.**

**I reached down for my rage and went back to the Impala. Dean and Cas were still inside getting snacks, so I decided to go look for them.**

**"****Dean? Cas?"**

**The lights flickered overhead.**

**"****Dean? Cas?"**

**I heard a muffled thump.**

**"****Castiel! Dean!"**

**Wooden furniture falling over.**

**"****Dad?" I asked in a quiet whisper.**

**A hand grabbed my arm, and I jumped up to the ceiling, jumping off it back to the ground.**

**Dean and Castiel grabbed either of my arms and dragged me out to the car with them.**

**"****Come on. Keep moving, Kidd!"**

**We got in and Dean stepped on it.**

**"****What happened?"**

**"****Nothing. We handled it."**

**"****We got the snacks," Cas said, handing me a plastic bag. Inside were all sorts of treats, bottled sodas and waters, and two bottles of iced coffee.**

**"****Pass me a donut, please?" Dean asked.**

**I laughed and gave him one, along with a bottle of coke.**

**"****I'll have a muffin and a bottle of coke as well, please," Cas said.**

**I gave him his food, and dug around for my Swiss Rolls. Jackpot. A whole box of them.**

**Pacified with snacks and drinks, we stopped at my hotel quickly so I could grab my bag, which I'd been smart enough to keep packed unless I was using something.**

**"****You don't carry around much, do you?"**

**"****Spare set of clothes, toothbrush and such, my laptop, and my iPod. That's it."**

**"****What you absolutely need and music. I like it."**

**"****No. I count music as a necessity, too. Speaking of, why is this car so quiet?"**

**"****Genre?"**

**"****Rock."**

**"****Yes!"**

**"****What?"**

**"****Nothing. You've just proved you're a Winchester. Are you sure you weren't already supposed to be my child?"**

**"****Unless you got an elf pregnant seventeen years ago, then no."**

**Dean clicked a button, and Metallica blasted out of the stereo.**

**"****Hey Kidd, you have a jacket or something else with a hood? We have to hide your eyes at the airport, or people will start asking questions."**

**I flicked the hood on my jacket up. Dean said it would work for now.**

**"****Dean?"**

**"****What?"**

**"****What about the Impala? And we just left my Ford."**

**"****You won't need your own car anymore, between me and Christopher. As for how are we getting around in Romania, that's simpler. I'll send it on a boat.**

**"****Will it be there by the time we are?"**

**"****Sure."**

**Dean grabbed my hand as we walked into the airport. He bought tickets for a flight to Romania at eight o'clock pm tonight.**

**"****What are we going to do until then?"**

**Dean looked around. His eyes landed on something, and he grinned.**

**"****Come on. This way."**

**Cas was busy staring at a sign for something, so I grabbed his hand and pulled him after us.**

**"****This is what we'll do. Laser Tag."**

**"****Someone here knows how to have fun. And how to entertain people waiting for flights. but there's no way we'll play this for a solid eight hours, right?"**

**"****No way. They have a lot of stuff to do here, for whatever reason."**

**It was a teams game. With only three of us, we didn't know what to do.**

**"****I could call Crowley," Dena offered.**

**I glared at him with my different colored eyes, and that put a stop to that idea right there.**

**"****Call me for what?" a voice said behind me.**

**I turned around. "Crowley."**

**"****Hello again, lovely. I see you've discovered your true heritage, if not your real parents."**

**"****Crowley, you know my dad, I'm sure."**

**"****I do?"**

**"****Sure."**

**"****What's your last name, Nik?"**

**"****I'm Nikolai Winchester," I said with a smile. Dean put a protective hand on my shoulder.**

**"****Nikolai Winch- Dean, I thought you had no children."**

**"****I do now," he said.**

**"****But- No. You're supposed to be Nikolai Tanessi. That was your name, I'm sure of it."**

**"****That was my name when Gage killed my family. And that was my name when I killed Gage. But my last name is now Winchester."**

**"****How?"**

**"****Ever heard of adoption, Crowley?" Dean asked.**

**"****You adopted the half demon, half elf prophecy child?"**

**"****That's right. She's a Winchester now."**

**"****What gave you that stupid idea?"**

**"****It doesn't matter. She's my kid now. Deal with it."**

**"****What did you want to call me for?"**

**"****We wondered if you might join us for a game of Laser Tag," Cas said.**

**"****Sure. I'd love to know how good of a shot the newest Winchester family member is."**

**"****What are the teams?" Dean asked.**

**"****I call Cas!" I said. I didn't want to be with Crowley, and I didn't want Cas to be awkward with Crowley, so, problem solved.**

**So, in we went.**

**It turned out Crowley and Cas were both lousy shots, neither having ever really used guns. It was basically a war between me and Dean on who could score the most of the other. Dean won.**

**The second round, Cas and Crowley switched sides. I wasn't a fan of that.**

**Cas and Crowley participated a bit more, each getting a couple shots in on each other. Dean creamed me again.**

**Third round, father and daughter versus an angel and a demon.**

**Cas and Crowley tried to get shots on the two of us, and got maybe two lucky hits on us total. We scored about three thousand, two hundred points on them between us.**

**"****Alright. You are your father's daughter. Very much a Winchester," Crowley proclaimed. "Dean, where is your moose? And, Nik, don't tell me Gage actually got to Christopher before you did?"**

**"****So you have nothing to do with it?" Dean asked.**

**"****To do with what?"**

**"****Sam and Christopher are in trouble. We're going after them."**

**"****That would explain why you're in an airport."**

**"****What should we do next, Dean?" Cas asked.**

**"****There's an arcade. I'm good at the shooter games."**

**"****I'll be playing Pinball," Crowley said.**

**"****I don't recall having played arcade games before," Cas said.**

**"****We can play Air Hockey together," I said.**

**"****I thought Hockey was played on ice?"**

**I laughed. "Just come on. I'll show you."**

**As it turned out, Cas was very good at Air Hockey. When we were done playing that, I decided to try one of the roller coaster simulators. I was surprised when I found Crowley in the seat next to me. The simulator wasn't all that real feeling.**

**I found Dean at a Pacman game. A couple of other kids in the arcade were watching him play. He was already beating the high score of forty thousand, nine hundred and sixty-seven.**

**As I watched, the ghost all converged on him at once, and there were no ways out. Pacman died.**

**For getting the new high score, Dean got who knew how many tickets. Enough that he couldn't carry them all.**

**"****Hey, Kidd!" Dean alled.**

**"****Yeah?"**

**"****Wanna help me get these counted?"**

**"****Okay."**

**"****You can add mine to the pile," Crowley said, stuffing a bundle of tickets in my hands. "The Pinball high score was easy to beat. It was much lower than at any of the other machines I've played on."**

**"****Are you leaving, Crowley?" I asked.**

**"****Not quite yet. But soon."**

**Dean and I struggled to get all of the tickets to the machine, but we eventually did so. All totalled, we had eight thousand, two hundred and four tickets.**

**"****Dean! Nik! I played a game, but the tickets won't stop coming out of the machine," Cas said.**

**"****I'll stay here. Go with Cas," Dean told me.**

**I followed Cas to a Tetris game. He had also beaten the highscore. Another pile of tickets were just finishing coming out of the machine.**

**"****Get them, and take them to Dean. It's my turn to play for a high score."**

**"****What game will you play?"**

**"****Ghost Hunters."**

**Cas smiled before grabbing the tickets and heading back to Dean. I went to the shooter game.**

**The highscores list showed that Dean had already been here. He'd been about nine points below the high score.**

**I played, shooting every ghost I saw. It was one of those virtual reality type shooters, where you use the helmet and walk around to find your enemies.**

**I forgot exactly how many ghosts I shot, but when I pulled up the helmet, I was being asked to enter a highscore. I entered my initials, NLW. It took a couple seconds to load, then tickets started pouring out of the machine as I saw I had beaten the highscore by a couple thousand points.**

**"****Dean!"**

**"****What?" he asked, running to me.**

**"****Oh, I'm alright. I just wanted you to see something."**

**"****Another high scorer, huh?"**

**"****Yup. Did you look at the game, though?"**

**Dean looked at it, then came over and looked at the screen.**

**"****How the hell did you do that?"**

**"****I'm like my dad?"**

**"****Yeah. Yeah, you are."**

**We carried who knew how many more tickets to the machine. Castiel's still weren't all counted.**

**All said and done, we had ended up with twenty thousand, five hundred and forty-eight tickets.**

**In the ticket shop, there were all sorts of interesting things. I'd never held a receipt for this many tickets before. I ended up getting a Gameboy for ten thousand tickets, and Dean picked out a stuffed animal for me. It was a dog, a German Shepherd. There was one thing different about it, though. It's eyes were pure black, like my right eye and Dean's eyes when he was in demon mode. That was five thousand. The other five thousand five hundred we used to get an enormous bag of goodies.**

**I gave the ticket receipt to the cashier, and was about to leave, when their voice stopped me.**

**"****Why do one of your eyes glow from beneath that hood, but the other does not?"**

**"****What do you mean?" I asked, not turning around, but turning my head partially over my shoulder.**

**"****I can see the tips of your ears and one of your eyes under that hood. Where is the other?"**

**"****I have no idea what you're talking about," I said, continuing to walk out.**

**"****I think you do."**

**"****Hey! Leave my daughter alone," Dean said, taking the goodie bag in one hand and my free hand in the other.**

**He led me away, back to Cas and Crowley where they were sitting on a bench outside the arcade.**

**"****Everything alright?" Cas asked, noticing Dean's fast pace and weary look back at the ticket shop.**

**"****Yeah. We're okay."**

**"****The dog is cute," Crowley commented. "Unfortunately, I must be going. Business, you know. Don't forget about that scroll, Nik. Make sure you read it. Goodbye Winchesters, Castiel."**

**And he vanished from the bench.**

**"****Dean, why are we flying to Romania? I mean, with it just being the three of us, we could-"**

**Dean covered my mouth. "I'm trying to keep that little bit a secret, okay, Kidd? We have to keep all the appearances that nothing has changed."**

**"****Alright."**

**It was about three o'clock, and I was hungry. My stomach growled loudly, and Dean laughed.**

**"****Alright, come on, little monster. Let's get you some food."**

**He took Cas and I to the airport's cafeteria. The food was no worse than what American schools had. In other words, for me it was horrid. Romanian schools made their food fresh. Still, I forced a container of nachos and a soft pretzel down my throat.**

**"****Tell me we have alcohol," I said.**

**"****Yeah. But you're not having any."**

**"****When did you start drinking?"**

**"****Twelve. But you're still not having any."**

**"****Douche," I muttered.**

**"****Skank," he retorted.**

**"****Now is not the time to bicker. We're trying to get to Romania to save your brother and your friend," Cas said, pointing at each of us in turn.**

**"****It's like Sam calling me a jerk and me calling him a bitch. It just means we're being annoying to each other."**

**Cas seemed confused by this. He sighed after a while and said, "Whatever." He'd given up trying to understand it.**

**After the gross food, Dean and I decided to go mess with some of the travelers. He would tap someone on the shoulder, vanish and reappear behind them, and the travellers would see me, standing as if I had tapped them. My head was always down. They would normally ask if I needed help, and my head would snap up. My one silver eye would glow at them, and they'd start to freak out. I'd ask them to help me find my gate, and they'd shakily ask which gate. I'd say whatever gate happened to be behind them, and they'd turn to point, to find Dean standing behind them, his eyes black. The person would freak out completely and run a few steps before keeping a hurried pace towards their destination.**

**Dean and I got a kick out of seeing how they ran. This kept us entertained for two hours, while Cas watched from his seat at the cafeteria disapprovingly.**

**"****Did he look like he ran like Johnny Depp to you?" Dean asked.**

**"****Actually, I was just about to ask you that," I said.**

**We high fived, laughing as we went back to Cas.**

**"****While I am happy to see the two of you bonding, scaring other travellers is kind of petty and immature, don't you think?"**

**"****So?" I asked him.**

**He shook his head at us, but didn't say anything else.**

**"****Hey, Dean. If I'm half demon, couldn't you figure out who my father is?"**

**"****I'd have to know who your mother is first."**

**"****Oh. I don't even know who my mother is. But, she'll have this same symbol on her face," I said, pulling my hood up and showing Dean my bloodline mark.**

**"****Well, I know I'm not the father, then."**

**"****How?"**

**"****Because I've never met any girls with that mark."**

**"****She may have been covering it, disguising herself as human. Before I left home, I had to put a blemish cream on my face everyday to hide most of mine. I was made fun of for it when I was younger, or I wouldn't have covered it."**

**"****So, I could have spent the night with an elf before and never known it?"**

**"****Yeah."**

**"****How will we find your real mother if she covers her mark?"**

**"****She'll find me."**

**"****Not if your mark is covered by your bangs."**

**"****I'm going to get a haircut."**

**"****It's five thirty. We can go get it now, before we leave. Besides, it'll help you see better. No kid of mine is going to miss because she can't see through her hair."**

**I laughed, and Cas and Dean pulled me out of the airport. My last haircut had been about five months ago, so it had grown out some. Enough that my natural waves were beginning to show.**

**After my haircut, my hair was as short as Dean's around the sides and back. My bangs were jaggedy and hung to just above my eyebrows, fully exposing my bloodline mark and my personal mark, as well as all of my piercings. I kept my eyes closed so I didn't freak out the kind woman giving me the haircut. She commented that my ears were very pretty with my face.**

**I asked her to look away when she said for me to open my eyes. She did so, and I took a quick peek. I looked more like Dean now than ever. If he were in demon mode all the time, I could easily be mistaken as his real daughter.**

**"****Alright, I'm done," I said, flicking my hood up to hide my eyes.**

**"****You like it?"**

**"****Yes, it's perfect."**

**"****Good."**

**Dean paid, and we walked back to the airport. It was seven o'clock now, between the walking and the actual haircut. One hour until our flight.**

**"****Dean, can we get a pair of sunglasses?"**

**"****Yeah. I'll go get some for you. That will hide your eyes a lot better than that hood."**

**He returned shortly with a pair of extremely dark tinted aviator glasses.**

**"****These should hide your silver eye completely."**

**"****Thanks. Dean, how do you get money?"**

**"****Same as you. From the grateful people you help on the job."**

**"****Still. Is that enough to take care of you, Sam, and Cas?"**

**"****I don't have to eat," Cas said.**

**"****And Sam and I have always made enough for the two of us," Dean said.**

**"****But there's not two of us anymore. There's four of us."**

**"****Don't worry, okay? I promised I'd take care of you when I signed that adoption form, and I will."**

**After that, I didn't know what else to say, so I took off my bag and dug out my iPod. Half the songs on there were various rock bands, and the other half was emocore and pop. I only left one earbud in, because knowing Dean, he'd fall asleep and I would have to wake him up so we made our flight. Several song later, with my battery life still far from ended, it was seven forty-five.**

**"****Now boarding at gate three for the eight o'clock flight to Romania. Gate three for eight o'clock to Romania."**

**I shook Dean's shoulder, but he just groaned in his sleep.**

**"****Cas. Cas!"**

**He started, but relaxed when he saw me.**

**"****What's wrong, Kidd?"**

**"****It's time to board our plane."**

**"****How should we wake up Dean?"**

**"****I don't know. I thought you'd have an idea."**

**"****How loud can your music device get?"**

**I grinned evilly, turning the volume up to thirty, which was far from the max. I put a bud in either of his ears, selected a Metallica song, and clicked play.**

**Dean jumped out of his chair, shaking himself and spinning in circles until his eyes landed on me.**

**"****Little monster. What's up?"**

**"****Time to go."**

**I turned the volume back down to fifteen, which is where it normally was with my noise cancelling headphones. I put my iPod back in my bag, and we headed for gate three.**

**"****Dean, how are we going to get ourselves through the metal detector?" I asked.**

**"****You, we'll play it off as all the metal in your head. Me, we'll play off as your innocent father. You're the eager daughter pulling me along. Cas, you'll be running late."**

**"****In other words, make myself scarce until last minute?"**

**"****Yeah."**

**I put my bag in one of the trays to be scanned. Nothing was taken. I carried the stuffed dog from Dean, and the Gameboy was in the bag as well.**

**I wasn't even in the metal detector all the way before it went off.**

**"****Could you please step aside, Miss?"**

**"****I'm sorry. It's not I'm carrying. It's the piercings."**

**The gentleman looked at me for a moment before letting me by without another word. He didn't even say anything about the sunglasses.**

**Dean walked through, but I ran back and grabbed his hand, tugging him along, playing my part.**

**"****Come on, Dad! You're gonna make us miss the plane!"**

**"****Sorry, Kidd, but-"**

**"****Dad, come on!"**

**I pulled him away from the people scanning him just before they found his knife in his inner jacket pocket. I grabbed my bag as we ran by, and kept tugging Dean along like the innocent, excited teenage daughter.**

**We were some of the first people on, but Dean had no baggage, and I wasn't putting my backpack up in the luggage rack. There was an empty seat on the other side of Dean for Cas. I got the window seat.**

**Just before they brought the ramp up, Cas got on, looking rather disheveled. He sat next to Dean heavily.**

**"****Alright?" Dean asked.**

**"****Fine."**

**"****How long is the flight?" I asked Dean.**

**"****Never short enough," he said. I noticed him gripping his armrests, and saw his knuckles turn white. He looked kind of pale.**

**"****Never flown before, or don't like flying?"**

**"****Neither. Terrified of flying."**

**"****Is there anything that calms you down?"**

**"****Do they have pie? Or bacon?"**

**I stopped a flight attendant and asked. A few minutes and three dollars later, and Dean had a slice of blueberry pie and three strips of warm bacon. The smell alone seemed to make him feel a little better.**

**It was two'clock when I fell asleep. By the time I woke up, we were in the air again from our first stop. Cas was awake, but Dean was sound asleep still.**

**"****Everything okay?"**

**"****Fine. Are you hungry?"**

**"****A bit."**

**"****There is an in flight breakfast being served."**

**"****That sounds alright."**

**Cas stopped an attendant, and a little while later, there was steaming hot pancakes, eggs, and toast in front of me. The nice thing about in flight meals is they're free. The bad thing is sometimes they don't taste so great.**

**Breakfast was delicious. By the time Dean was waking up at noon, I was finished and playing on my Gameboy, which had come with a Zelda and a Spyro game.**

**"****What the hell was that?" Dean asked when my Zelda game made a weird noise.**

**"****Link died."**

**"****Zelda?"**

**"****What? It came with two free games and a charging cable. I can play Zelda and Spyro all day."**

**"****Where are we?"**

**"****Somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean. We stopped early this morning for fuel just before heading out over the water."**

**"****Great. If I wake up, I'm hungry. If not, don't bother me until we land in Bucharest."**

**He rolled over so his head was on Castiel's arm. Cas didn't seem bothered by it.**

**I hugged my stuffed dog, which I'd decided to call Bamf, the noise Nightcrawler, and I subsequently, made when we teleported.**

**At the next fuel stop, I stood up in the aisle for a little bit, but I was quick to get back to my seat when a kid a couple seats in front of me got up. I didn't need them commenting on my sunglasses.**

**The plane landed in Bucharest, Romania a little after four o'clock. Dean, Cas, and I avoided the crowd by getting off immediately when the ramp was lowered.**

**There were no metal detectors coming in, which we were thankful for. The Impala wouldn't be here until the day after tomorrow, so we couldn't do anything about Sam and Christopher. We were in Bucharest and my relatively small hometown, Dej, was a lot farther North.**

**"****Do you actually think that whatever has them took them to your hometown?"**

**"****If they knew I was from Romania, and knew I had a connection to Sam and Christopher even though I've only known you guys for a few days, they know I'm from Dej. I'll even bet they took them to my house."**

**"****Is it still actually your house?"**

**"****Yeah. You'll understand when you see it."**

**"****So, nothing we can do for a day and a half."**

**"****Pretty much."**

**We walked to a close hotel to stay at. One room, two beds, and a small bathroom. Pretty much normal for me, except the extra bed.**

**"****I'm going to a bar. Cas, you coming?"**

**"****Shouldn't one of us stay to watch Nik?"**

**"****She's seventeen. I think she can handle being alone for a bit."**

**"****I think I'll stay for her protection. With hunters and other supernaturals hunting her, one of us should watch over her."**

**"****Alright, man. Kidd, don't try going anywhere without Cas."**

**He left, leaving me alone with Cas.**


	7. Hate, Like, Love?

"You seem very close to Dean, even though you've only known him for a few days."

"Some people are like that together. They just work. I've always made friends fairly easy, when I've wanted to make friends."

"And when you don't?"

"I'm very good at staying hidden and avoiding people."

"A nice skill to have, for a supremely powerful supernatural."

"Are you buying into that crap, too?"

"What do you mean?"

"I really don't think I'm that powerful."

"You will see it in time. As you come to realize your true self, things are changing around you. Like your eyes. That occurred after our conversation about what two halves make up you."

"Yeah, I guess."

"What was the item Dean gave you after you killed that demon?"

"A prophecy. Given to me by Crowley."

"I see. So that was the scroll he was speaking of before he left?"

"Yeah."

"You haven't read it, have you?"

"No. I'm scared to know what it says. What if Crowley wasn't making it up? What if I really am some child of prophecy?"

"Then you are very special. Not just because of what we see in you, but because others, who don't even know you, are relying on you."

"What if I'm a bad omen or a doombringer? I wouldn't be helping anyone."

"Then there's only one way to find out what you are. Read the scroll."

I reached into my right shoe and pulled it out. The paper was a little crumpled at the edges, but otherwise looked the same. I untied the string and unrolled it.

The script was written in some kind of blood. The words looked almost like they were in cursive, but it was print. There were a few drawings on the scroll. It was about five feet long, total.

"Ah, so you've finally opened it and broken the seal. You really are the prophecy child. Congratulations, love."

"Nikolai."

"Are you going to stand here arguing with me about what I call you, or are you going to read your future?"

I glared at him, but turned back to the scroll.

_From ancient blood_

_From ancient lands_

_And from the dark one_

_Who loves a man._

_A one night stand_

_Nine months later_

_A child unplanned_

_A girl that should never have been._

_Half dark, half light_

_Always fighting herself_

_Never able to decide_

_One part demon, one part elf._

_She is doomed_

_To go to Hell_

_I'm sorry, Nik_

_I had to cast that spell._

_She escapes_

_Meets her mother_

_As a war begins, she's forced to participate_

_Running back to her father._

_She'll have to betray me_

_To save the ones she doesn't know_

_She'll no longer be_

_In an eternity alone._

_I will lose her_

_When the hellhounds come_

_Castiel will save her_

_Because God has plans under His thumb._

My life was worth more than I'd ever realized. If this prophecy was real, if it was true, I'd end up saving the world. All those times I'd thought about giving up, I was glad I hadn't.

"So, what are you to be? Doom and gloom, or blessing and light?" Crowley asked.

"I don't know. It's full of opposites. Haven't you read this before?"

"No. Only the one the prophecy is about can open the scroll and read it."

"Then how did you know it was about me? That you were supposed to give it to me?"

"Time frame and name. Each scroll is labelled with it. I took the label off when I found you."

"But, this prophecy isn't only about me. It's from another person's point of view, someone who has to send me to Hell through a spell for some reason. Later, I'll have to betray them to save others, and even later, I'll be taken by hellhounds."

"Wow. Sounds like you will have quite the story. I can't wait to read it."

"What do you mean?"

"You'll find out one day. If I were you, I'd trying to be figuring out that prophecy."

Crowley vanished, and I turned to Castiel.

"You. You save me. God will end up having plans for me, like when you pulled Dean out. You'll pull me out."

"But, if that's the case, then your story doesn't end with this prophecy. So, you're not a prophecy child, but a child of prophecies."

"What's the difference?"

"A prophecy child has only one prophecy about them, and often die when all is said and done. A child of prophecies has a long life to live, and has many prophecies about them. They are often the kinds of people you read legends and myths about."

"Are prophecies always right?"

"If they are real prophecies, and this one seems to be, then, yes. Are there any other things unpleasant about it besides the forced betrayal, the hellhounds, and the spell sending you to Hell?"

"A war I'm forced to participate in."

"Your life will not be pleasant, it seems."

"It would seem not. But I wonder who's point of view this is from. It's not Dean's, or my mother's, yours, or mine. That leaves Sam and Chirstopher."

"Between the two, the likelier is Christopher."

"I know. That's what I'm afraid of."

I rolled up and retied the scroll. I tossed it to Castiel.

"Can you open it again?"

He easily untied and unrolled it.

"So, anyone who is in the prophecy can open it."

He rolled it up, tied it, and toss it back.

I stuffed it back in my shoe. I pulled my switchblade from the other side.

"The design on that is very nice. Where did you get it?"

"My father gave it to me on my twelfth birthday. He got it from a pawn shop owned by a friend of his."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I didn't mean to bring up memories of your family."

"I got revenge for them. And my only horrid memories of them are on my fifteenth birthday, seeing their bodies. I don't mind remembering how they were in life."

"But it must be sad, remembering that they're gone. Do you miss them terribly?"

"Before I met Christopher, I cried myself to sleep each night. I did miss them terribly. And each night, in my sleep, I'd have nightmares. Of coming home, and finding them. Of some of my more dangerous hunts."

"And since meeting him?"

"I don't cry anymore. But the nightmares don't go away. I don't think they ever will. Knowing I'm part demon, I'm probably always going to have nightmares."

"I can stop them. The nightmares. I stopped Dean's."

"I'd rather have nightmares than see nothing. When I was younger and saw nothing, I always thought I had died."

"I'm afraid I can't give you dreams. But I can stop the pain of the nightmares."

"No. I'll be alright."

"As you wish. So, what should we do now?"

"Ever watched a movie?"

"Few, and all Westerns. That's what Dean likes. My knowledge of pop culture comes from Metatron transferring it to me."

"Then we'll watch some movies."

"What kind?"

"Any kind you want."

"I don't know what I want. I don't really know what kinds there are."

"We'll start with one of my favorite science fiction movies then."

"I'm not sure what that means."

"You'll see. We're going to watch Star Wars."

So we did. Followed by the next two movies. It was while I was putting the fourth movie in that Dean came back. He was stumbling around and didn't look like he was too sure of where he was. It was about eleven o'clock. He'd been out drinking for seven hours.

"Dean!" Cas yelled, catching him as he fell over.

"Dean, are you alright?" I asked.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm good, Kidd."

Well, at least he could identify us.

"Dean, are you sure?"

"I'm alright. I promise."

"Cas, get him into bed."

"Oh, yeah. Woo!" Dean yelled.

"Not that way, Dean. Idjit."

Cas managed to get Dean under the covers. Dean was snoring as soon as his head hit the pillow.

"He's going to have a terrible headache in the morning."

"Yup. This is why I only drink one, maybe two beers at a time."

"He doesn't limit himself, unfortunately. Shall we watch the next movie before sleep?"

"Sure."

Cas occasionally asked a question or yelled at the TV, but I didn't mind. I did the same things with movies I hadn't seen.

It was one o'clock in the morning when we went to bed. I curled up with Bamf, and Cas curled up with Dean. They really were cute together, but they'd never catch me saying that. I wouldn't mind having two dads, either.

I woke up around ten. My nightmare had been about Christopher and Sam. I had an awful feeling in my gut, like something bad was happening to them.

"Cas?"

"Hm?" he asked, looking over at me from the couch.

"How long have you been up?"

"Since six. But I've never slept for very long. I didn't used to sleep at all."

I sat up and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. Dean was still passed out in the other bed.

I got up and made some black coffee. Dean stirred. I held the coffee next to his nose, and he woke up.

"Do we have pie?"

"Yes, we have pie. But drink your coffee first. It'll make you feel better."

I handed Cas a cup as well. He added sugar and creamer to it.

Dean drank his coffee, and I took him some pie, giving him another cup of coffee with it. After that, he was conscious enough to walk in a straight line.

"Dean, is there any chance that the Impala is here today?"

"I doubt it, Kidd."

"Dean, can we please go check? I have a really bad feeling about Sam and Christopher."

"What kind of bad feeling?"

"Like, they're in really big trouble bad feeling."

"Let's go check."

The three of us walked quickly to the car pickup by the docks. Thank whomever, the Impala was there. We drove it back to the hotel, grabbed our things, and checked out. By noon we were on our way to Dej.

We weren't there until almost eight o'clock that night. We stayed at a hotel because I figured Sam and Christopher were being held at my house. My bad feeling hadn't gone away completely, but knowing we were just a few streets away from them made me feel better.

I was up at seven o'clock. I made breakfast and coffee for Cas and Dean. When everyone was awake and alert, we headed for my old house.

"This is your house? Like, for real?" Dean asked when I pointed at it.

"Yes. This is where I grew up."

"This ain't a house. It's a miniature mansion."

"Well, my family was kind of upper class."

"You were rich?"

"Technically, still am. If I ever want my family's fortune, it's there waiting for me. In the meantime, I live the same way the rest of you do."

"Why the hell would you do that?"

"I don't want this life, Dean. It isn't the right life for me anymore. Not without my family."

"So, who's car in the driveway?"

"This is just a guess, but I'd say the creatures who took Sam and Christopher. My family's cars are in the garage."

"How many parking spaces in the garage?"

"Ten. Only five are being used. My parents, my older sister, and my older brothers cars. And my car. My real car."

"What kind of car do you have? It better not be another Ford."

"It's not. Actually, you'd probably like it."

"Why didn't you take it to America with you?"

"Too obvious. Easily recognizable. So I left it here and got a plain, boring car. I'm still alive, and I've never been attacked in my sleep, so I'd say job accomplished."

"Can we get in the garage?"

"No. The key is inside. Obviously, these creatures are too stupid to find any of the keys or aren't planning to stay long."

The thought made my bad feeling worse.

"Any idea which room Sam and Christopher are in?"

"Any creature would be smart and keep them separate. Christopher is probably being held in my room, and I would guess Sam is in my parents' room, since you're my parent."

"Preferred way of going in?"

"There's a servants entrance on the left side. Mostly for the gardener and a maid we used to have. I let the maid go when I left. The gardener I kept. For if I ever came home."

"Is your gardener loyal to you?"

"Very. He's known me since I was very young. He was always kind to me. I hope the creatures haven't killed him."

Let's go get Sam and Christopher back."

We parked in the driveway. I didn't see any need for secrecy about the car since the creatures obviously knew about it.

Going in through the servants entrance proved to be useless. We were met in the main entrance room by two men. They looked ordinary, but my supernatural sense was tingling. Something I'd never sensed before.

"Hello, Winchesters. Castiel. So glad you figured out where we were."

"Why did you take them? Why bring us here?" I asked.

"Because we were eager to meet the child in the prophecies."

"Why? What business is it of yours?"

"You're going to change things. We don't like change."

"What are you?" Dean asked.

"Nothing you've fought before."

"It's been a long time since I've seen your kind. Why have you come out of hiding when Michael forbade you to ever return?" Castiel asked.

"Michael is caged. He can't do anything to stop us. Neither can you."

"Dean, Nik, close your eyes, and cover your ears."

We did. I buried my face in my lap while crouching and pressed my hand over my ears. Dean leaned over me, shielding me with himself.

Somebody tapped on my shoulder, and I slowly looked up. Cas held a hand out to me, and I stood up. The two guys were gone. The only trace of them was two fading scorch marks in the floor.

"What happened?"

"I sent them back to Purgatory, where they belong."

"What were they?"

"Humans that became angels, then went rogue. In Heaven, we call them Assbutts."

Dean laughed.

"Alright, which way to your parents' room, Kidd?"

I ignored the traces of blood in the carpet and led the way upstairs. A few turns and about twenty closed doors later, I stopped in front of another closed door.

I put my hand on the handle and hesitated. So many memories behind this door. In this hall. In this house. Heck, in this whole town.

"You alright, Kidd?"

"I don't know," I answered honestly.

I opened the door anyways.

"Dean!"

"Sammy! You alright?"

Dean rushed past me into the room. I couldn't bring myself to take a step further. So many memories. And then, one day, all gone. The bodies. The pain, the tears. The neighbors all outside. Me, seemingly vanishing into nothing.

I dropped to the floor. Cas caught me. I could feel it, I could hear him calling my name. But my eyes glazed over and my jaw refused to move from it's slightly open position. I went back to that day, seeing all of it again. Just reliving those twenty minutes, from when I first saw the emergency vehicles and the crowds, to leaving, without a word. Without a trace.

"Kidd! Hey, Kidd. Come on, get up. Nik, come on."

I looked up into Dean's worried face. A face that looked so similar to mine.

"Kidd, you with me?"

"Dean?" I moaned.

"Yeah, I've got ya. Don't worry."

I let my head loll again. Then I noticed the symbol over our heads. Adrenaline kicked in, fighting away the memories and bringing me back to myself.

"Dean, put me down."

He laid me on the floor next to Sam, who was now free from his bindings to a chair.

"Dean, look."

I pointed at the demon trap on the ceiling.

"Shit. Cas!"

"I see it. What do I do?"

"Just disrupt the pattern. Make a blank spot in it."

I got up slowly and went to the edge of the space marked by the trap. I reached my hand out to touch the barrier, but there was none. My hand just went through. I put my other hand through, then my head. I tried to put a foot out, but struck the barrier. I brought my body back in, then turned sideways and stepped exactly halfway out. I could go no further than that.

"Dean, look at this."

"Half demon. The other half of you is free to go."

"But I'm still stuck."

"Right."

There was an odd question I could answer now. I laid on the ground and crawled forward with my arms.

Huh, so my belly button was the exact horizontal center of my body.

"Alright, time to go. Let's get Christopher," Cas said as he created a blemish in the trap's image.

I got up and ran out of my parents' room, towards my own. I stopped to listen at the door. Christopher wasn't alone like Sam had been.

Cas was right behind me, followed by Dean, supporting Sam, who was limping on his right leg. I held a finger up to my lips. No one questioned it. Everyone could hear the sounds of something moving quickly, followed by a cry of pain from Christopher.

I pulled my gun out, as well as my knife. There was no telling how many Assbutts were in there. I gestured for Dean to kick the door in.

"Nikolai! Get out of here!"

An Assbutt raised a whip to strike Christopher again, but I grabbed the whip from his hand. Cas tossed me his blade, and I stabbed the thing in the heart. Something heavy dropped on top of me, and I lost the blade.

I turned over underneath the thing and struggled against it. It brought out a gun, and held it to my temple.

I tossed my head, making my sunglasses fall off. The Assbutt backed off.

Someone kicked him in the nards, and he groaned on the floor. I turned around and saw Christopher. He'd been beaten far worse than Sam. Even so, he grinned before grimacing. A cut went from next to his left eyebrow down along his cheek and jaw. Besides that, various other lashes from the whip were on his arms and legs.

"Christopher…"

I untied his hands and feet from the chair, and hugged him tightly. He winced, and I pulled away. I made him sit forward a little, and saw many more marks on his back. He'd gotten far worse than Sam. Because of me.

"Why? Why did they do this?" I whispered.

"It's not important. You need to get out of here. Most of them are gone, drinking. They could be back any time."

"I'm not leaving you, if that's what you're thinking. Cas, how strong are you right now?"

"I can't heal all of his wounds, if that's what you're thinking."

"Can you heal at least one leg and his back?"

"It will drain me, but yes. I should be able to."

Cas healed most of the cuts on Christopher's right leg and all of the ones on his back. I helped Christopher up, and the five of us started making our way out to the Impala. That's when the rest of the Assbutts decided to get back here.

"Dean, I want these things out of my house."

"Alright. Watch Sammy and Cas. I'll be back."

He reached into his jacket pocket as he jumped down to the first level.

"What's he doing?"

"He's going to use the First Blade."

"What is that?"

"I hope you never have to see it."

Dean came back up, his hands bloody and specks of blood on his face and neck. Other than that, he looked the same as he had going down.

"I recommend we use a different method of leaving," Dean said.

"There's the fire escape. The alarm that triggers when you open the door has been disabled since we moved in, because my siblings and I used the stairs so often. So, we can use those. They come out in the kitchen, and we can go through the back door."

"Are there any ways out that don't involve stairs?" Sam asked.

"Depends. Some of us can probably fit the slide. Some of us, I don't know. At least, if it's a tunnel slide. I never actually used it. It was always hidden behind and under things in Lane's room."

"Who's Lane?" Christopher asked.

"My little brother."

I led the way, helping Christopher. My brother's room hadn't changed. Still messy, still full of video games, Bionicles, and Legos, and still very dangerous to walk in. I couldn't begin to count all the times I'd stepped on his legos.

"It should be on this wall," I said, pointing at the wall to our right.

I set Christopher down on the bed and checked all the open wall space for the slide. Then I checked behind some posters and pictures, setting everything back the way it had been after looking. Still finding nothing, I looked behind his bookshelf, behind his dresser, and behind his game rack. Finally, I decided to look from behind the other side of the dresser. There was a space there. A big space. Tall enough for Christopher, and wide enough for Dean's broad shoulders. It had a sharp left turn. I could see sunlight.

"Guys, I found it."

Dean and Cas helped the other two over, and I led the way into the opening, followed the turn, and nearly slipped. Christopher caught me, even with his arms in the shape they were. The slide went straight into the pool, just like I remembered. And it was a water slide.

"I hope none of you mind getting wet."

"Will it hold our weight?" Dean asked.

"My dad was able to use this thing when he wanted to. It'll be fine."

"Who's first?" Sam asked.

"I guess me."

The guys looked at me like I was crazy. I jumped onto the slide.

I shot down like an arrow from a bow. The slide stopped underneath me, and I cannonballed into the pool. When I surfaced, I looked back up to the top of the slide. Cas, Dean, and Sam were still up there. But then, where was Christopher?

A shadow darkened the water around me before I dove down. Christopher landed in the water behind me.

I swam towards the shallow end of the pool before coming back up.

"Christopher!"

"What?" he said, grinning with fake innocence. I swam over to him and dunked him before going to the edge of the pool. Just like with the river and the rock, it was difficult pulling myself out. My clothes felt like they weighed a ton.

All of us made it safely down the slide. Sam managed to get out of the pool by pulling himself up with the edge and turning midair, so he was sitting on the edge. Christopher couldn't do that.

"Isn't there a ladder?" Cas asked.

I face palmed. I was an idiot sometimes.

I followed Christopher as he swam to the ladder and hauled himself out. He had to jump on one foot from step to step, but he got out. He tried to stand up and walk on his own, but he nearly fell. I caught him under his arm and helped him.

"Where's the Firebird?"

"Outside the garage, is what they said. I don't know where the garage is."

"Cas, can you help him stay standing? I'm going to go get his car. Then I'm taking him and Sam to the hospital."

"That's not a good idea," Sam said.

"I don't care. You two need help."

I left Christopher with Cas and ran to the garage, getting in the Firebird. The Assbutts had left the keys in there.

I drove it back out front and helped Sam get in back, since he was able to move easier. Cas helped Christopher in, and I drove off. Each time I looked in the rearview mirror, I could see Dean following in the Impala, with Cas riding shotgun.

At the hospital, I helped Christopher get inside, calling to the nurses for help. Christopher was put on a gurney and wheeled off. Dean came in with Sam. They put him in a wheelchair and took him to get stitches, in less of a hurry since Sam hadn't lost nearly as much blood.

Dean pushed my sunglasses back down over my eyes before anyone got a good look at me.

"And who are you to the patients?" a nurse asked me.

"I'm Sam's niece. Christopher is my partner," I said, holding up my FBI badge.

"I see. And how did your partner get in this situation?"

"We were working a case, and our targets grabbed him. They tortured him."

"I see. And you, sir?" she asked Dean.

"I'm Sam's brother, her dad," he said, putting a hand on my shoulder. "My only relation to Christopher is as his friend and because he's my daughter's partner."

"How did your brother come by that cut on his leg?"

"Well, our family has a habit of being in the FBI. My brother and I are also in the force. The two of us were on the team with my daughter to rescue her partner."

"Your name, sir?"

"Agent Plant."

"Your first name is Agent?"

"As far as the government is concerned, yes ma'am."

"And what is your name, miss?"

"Agent Plant."

"What are your birth names?"

"Jacob," Dean said.

"Danielle," I said.

"Now we're getting somewhere. So, your brother will be able to leave today, as soon as that cut is stitched up. He'll pick whether he wants crutches or a wheelchair."

"And Christopher?" I asked.

"He's lost a lot of blood, Danielle Plant. It's a miracle he was still able to stand when you brought him in, let alone walk anywhere."

"Will he be alright?"

"He will, in time. Most of the cuts on his arms are partially healed, and only a couple are likely to scar. We don't know about the ones on his legs. But, the cut on his face will definitely scar. It will probably take a few weeks to heal, as well."

"As long as he's alright. He got taken because of me."

"I doubt that."

"No, really. He was protecting me. He got taken because he was protecting me. And because he wanted to be my partner. When my last partner retired, a year after I joined, he signed up to be my partner. I don't know why."

"That's a question you should ask him. You should be able to go see him in about ten minutes. Room five-o-nine. Your uncle should be out here in a couple minutes."

We waited for Sam. He came out on crutches. Dean said he was too stubborn to be confined to a chair.

Dean went to take Sam back to the car and told me to go ahead and find Christopher's room.

I ran through the hospital, finding the right hall, and running along both sides until I saw the right room number.

When I burst in, a nurse looked me like I was a crazy person. Which, soaking wet, covered in blood, with so many piercings and my pointed ears, I suppose I did look like a crazy person.

Christopher laughed from the bed. The nurse looked at him funny before pulling me into the room, leaving, and closing the door behind her.

"Well, I guess it's a good thing you're in that bed. I don't trust being in a room with a bed alone with you."

"Being in this bed has nothing to do with it."

I could feel the heat in my cheeks from my blush.

He laughed again. "I won't do anything, I promise."

"See, this is like that night in El Paso. I can't exactly trust just your word."

"You can put me in handcuffs," he said, smirking.

I pushed my sunglasses up on top of my head, and glared at him. He didn't even flinch. My eyes softened as I looked at him. He wasn't scared. He didn't seem to think my eyes were the slightest bit creepy or anything.

"There's that beautiful face of yours," he said gently.

I walked over and stood right next to his bed. The lash on his face was stitched, but still looked raw and painful. I ran a finger over the skin next to it. He still didn't flinch away from me.

"Did you see my eyes?"

"I'm staring at them. Of course I did."

"You don't think they're weird or creepy?"

"No. I think they're unique. And they're perfect for you. They show your light side, and your dark side."

"That's because of what I am. According to my prophecy, I'll always be at war with myself."

"You read it?"

"Yeah. Do you want me to read it to you?"

"If you would."

I took the scroll out of my shoe and handed it to him.

"Can you open it?"

"Okay?"

He untied the scroll without any effort and handed it back to me.

_Where is he in this story?_

"From ancient blood, from ancient lands, and from the dark one who loves a man. A one night stand. Nine months later, a child unplanned. A girl that should never have been. Half dark, half light. Always fighting herself, never able to decide. One part demon, one part elf. She is doomed to go to Hell. I'm sorry, Nik, I had to cast that spell. She escapes, meets her mother. As a war begins, she's forced to participate, running back to her father. She'll have to betray me to save the ones she doesn't know. She'll no longer be in an eternity alone. I will lose her when the hellhounds come. Castiel will save her because God has plans under His thumb."

"So, this involves you, Cas, Dean, your mother, and whoever's point of view this is from?"

"Or, instead of Dean, it may be my birth father."

"I think...nevermind."

"You think what?"

"Well, have you ever noticed how much you look like Dean? It's strange, but you do."

"You think Dean is my real dad? That can't be possible. He'd have been...nineteen when I was born. But, he didn't become a demon until, like, two and a half weeks ago."

"That doesn't mean he wasn't a demon for a short time at some other point."

I thought about that for a while.

"Christopher, there's something I should tell you."

"What?"

"The person the prophecy's view is from? It might be you."

"I wouldn't be surprised."

"And you're okay with that?"

"Nothing we can really do about it, so I'm fine."

"There's one thing I could do. I could keep you away from me."

"Or you could come closer," he said, winking.

"You might want to watch yourself, Christopher. Or you might find yourself being taken up on the offer."

"Being handcuffed, oh please," he said with emphasis on please.

"I won't do that, but I will do this," I said, and kissed him.

"I could tell that was your first kiss since the accident," he said, wiping drool off his mouth.

"Thanks," I said sarcastically as I waved and walked back out the door.

"So, no handcuffs then," he yelled from the room.

"To Hell with you!" I yelled back.

"Soon enough."

I wanted to go back in there and strangle him. Instead I punched the door.

"Mad enough to cuff me yet?" I heard him ask again.

"Never! Now shut up!"

"Damnit! Just as stubborn as your father."

"In this case, I'm pretty sure that's a good thing!"

"That depends on who your talking to," he laughs.

"No, it depends on what who I'm talking to wants."

"I'm sure we all know what who you're talking to wants." I could hear the smile in his voice.

Going against my better judgement, I went back in. Sure enough, a smirk covered his face. He was staring at the ceiling. I sat on the bed next to him.

"I doubt you would even have handcuffs on you."

"What does it matter? I won't means I won't."

"When there's love, there's a way," he said. laughing again.

"Who said anything about love?"

"That kiss, you can't tell yourself there wasn't something special."

"Sure I can. I can't let you stay with me. I can't let myself stay with you. You're in danger with me."

"Babe, I was in danger when I sent that damned ghost out of my house."

"Don't call me babe. And that wasn't very dangerous. With me, you'd be hunted, twenty-four- seven."

"Worth it," he said, smiling stupidly.

"No, I'm not."

"That other boy of yours died at your house doing, god knows what, but he was probably thinking it was worth it because he loved you, and I do too."

"You can't love me. I'm not someone you can love. Not after a few days. But, mostly because if you do, you'll probably end up the same way."

"Love is not something you do, it's something you feel," he said before lifting himself up and kissing me again.

I pulled away from him, staring at his eyes. He still wasn't scared. I could see pain in his eyes but he was still holding himself up with his arms and smiling.

"Lay down. Stop hurting yourself," I told him, pushing him back down slowly.

"Fine, but I'm not gonna stop loving you."

"It's not like I can make you. But I can ask you to not follow me."

"I'm not going to stop following you."

"Why not?"

"We're a team now, like you told the nurse."

"I can't believe you just got whipped for me. Why the heck did you do that?"

"Wouldn't be the first time," he winked again.

"You've had some screwed up relationships, you know that?"

"I talk shit, I've never done anything. I've had maybe four girlfriends, only had sex twice."

"Really?"

"Wanna make it three?" he laughed.

"Not now. Especially when you think about the fact that we're in a hospital."

"Just makes it all the more kinky."

Dean walked in with Cas.

"Makes what all the more kinky?" Dean asked.

"Christopher is just talking that talk of his."

"Which means what, exactly?"

"He's being an idjit."

"So he's trying to make a porno. I'll leave you to that," he said, walking away.

"I, on the other hand, will not let my daughter be in an adult movie," Cas said, coming towards us.

"Nothing was happening, Cas. If he'd tried anything, he'd be on his stomach on the floor holding his balls."

"I'd only lose since I'm in bandages and pain."

"No, you'd lose because I'm not scared to hurt you if you try to do something I'm not okay with."

"Stop bickering, you twats," Crowley announces his arrival.

"Go away, Crowley. I read your stupid scroll. There's nothing else for you here."

"You're mad, understandable."

"I'm not mad. You irritate me."

"Mad, irritated. Different words that mean the same thing."

"Then leave, and I'll no longer be irked."

"God, you're more stubborn than these damned humans. Anyways, the scroll, what did it say?"

"My prophecy Crowley, not yours."

"I'm trying to help, you irritating meatsack."

"You're the one in a meat suit, Crowley. And I don't want your help. I doubt there's anything you can do. But, out of curiosity, why do you want to help me? What's in it for you?"

"Have you ever thought of what happens after the prophecy? If you haven't noticed Cas isn't as strong as he was. If he even tried to pull you from Hell, his meat suit will die whilst getting you, thus exposing himself and killing everything around him. I'm not planning on dying anytime soon."

"Cas is getting his Grace back."

"He won't be getting it back fast enough, and his human body can't handle it, no matter what."

"Then how did his human body stand pulling Dean out, I wonder? And why does the prophecy say Cas will pull me out? Unless your prophecy is a fake, that is how things will be."

"His human body has been through a lot, but a second reincarnation?"

"Then explain your prophecy that you gave me."

"I can't, I haven't read it, you irritating twat."

"Stop calling me a twat, you asshat. In this case, you are the twat because you are trying to fulfill a piece of the prophecy that could easily be years away."

"How about you all shut up," Dean comes in with his pistol out.

"Dean, can you shoot him, please?"

"I literally can't. He's kinda in control of me."

"He full-on Obi-Waned you, didn't he? Crowley, let him go. Now. I can, and will shoot you. You have no control over me."

"Ha-ha I get it," Cas pitched in.

"He's not in control now. I'm just saying he'd know if I would and he would stop me."

"Still, I can shoot him. There's nothing he can do if I choose to do so."

"Don't, he can help."

I really didn't like it. But I trusted Dean. I got out the scroll and untied it. I tossed it to him.

"I can't read it, remember? To me, it will look like a foreign language."

"I'm not reading it again."

"I will," Cas said, taking the prophecy. Cas read it for Crowley to hear.

"Well, that's rather unpleasant, isn't it?"

I threw my shoe at him.

"That won't do much, dear."

"It's not supposed to. I'm not allowed to kill you."

"You're also not allowed to trap me."

"Like I'd want to be stuck with you."

"It wouldn't get you very far either. I'm stronger than one of those puny traps."

"Then I'd love to know how Sam and Dean used one on you. That's a famous story among hunters."

"Who said I wanted to leave, they're close friends."

"Gayyyyyyy," Christopher commented.

"Hey," Cas said.

"Don't start, Christopher. And Crowley, I don't care what you think you are to Sam and Dean. They tortured you, and you couldn't leave. You were trapped."

"Maybe I'm like your friend here," he winked at Christopher.

"Oh? I didn't know you had the capacity to love, Crowley."

"Who said love?"

"Christopher did."

"I was merely talking of the cuffs, dear."

"Whatever."

"Umm, sirs, you'll need to take your family reunion elsewhere. The hospital visiting hours are over. Come back around four if you wish. He should be out within the week."

Dean, Cas, and Crowley were all out rather quickly. The nurse left so I could say goodbye in privacy.

"You'll come back, won't you?"

"Yes."

"I'll be expecting you to bring more cuffs next time," he laughs again.

"Whatever," I smiled. I kissed him before leaving.


	8. Dream Walking

**"****Before the four of us start arguing again, can we get food?" I asked.**

**"****Pie?" Dean asked.**

**"****You can't live off of pie, bacon, and alcohol, Dean."**

**"****Watch me. I can't die, remember?"**

**"****Fine, I don't care then, as long as it tastes good."**

**"****I'm not the local. You should take us somewhere."**

**"****What's something everyone can agree on? A bar?"**

**"****Oh yeah."**

**"****I second that," Cas said.**

**"****Then let's go. But Crowley doesn't ride with me."**

**"****Awe, why not love?"**

**"****I have other things to occupy my mind. And you're irritating."**

**"****Fine, I'll ride with Dean."**

**I led the way to the bar my boyfriend used to take me to all the time. Of course, he normally got drunk and I practically had to carry him home, but occasionally it was pleasant. The owner likely still knew me by name.**

**"****Oh, Nikolai, welcome back. I'm still really sorry about Daniel."**

**"****It's not you fault, Charles."**

**"****Well, come here. Let's see ya."**

**I took a seat on one of the stools at the bar.**

**"****Well, got your bangs out of your face, I see. And got a few piercings."**

**"****Yeah. What about you? How have you been? You look the same as ever."**

**"****Business is still good. Lena had our little boy. He's two. But this place isn't the same without you and Daniel coming in at least once a week."**

**Dean sat beside me, and Cas beside him. For whatever reason, Crowley chose to sit on my right.**

**"****So, who are your friends?"**

**"****My adoptive fathers Castiel and Dean. Dean's brother Sam is still over by the door. And this is...an acquaintance of mine? His name is Crowley."**

**"****Adopted, huh?"**

**"****Yeah."**

**After a few moments of silence, Charles asked, "So, what can I get ya?"**

**"****Get Dean a good meal and don't give him anything stronger than a beer tonight. Cas wants a good meal, and probably won't drink much. Crowley can have whatever, and Sam wants food, and will probably have a couple beers."**

**"****Who says I can't have anything stronger than beer?" Dean asked.**

**"****Me."**

**"****What do you want?" Charles asked.**

**"****Food and a beer."**

**Sam came and sat next to Cas. Soon enough, there was steaming burgers, fries, and carrots in front of us. Each of us had a beer, except Cas who'd asked for water, and Crowley who'd chosen to drink red wine.**

**We all ate and drank to contentment. We listened to a band play for a while. At four, I waved goodbye to the guys. None of them followed me.**

**I drove back to the hospital and went to Christopher's room.**

**"****Hey, knock knock," I called as I opened the door.**

**Christopher was still in bed, fast asleep. I pulled a chair next to him and held his hand. He didn't stir from his sleep.**

**_He's adorable in his sleep._**

**I felt a tap on my shoulder but when I turned around nothing was there. My senses went on high alert, but I didn't feel the presence of another supernatural.**

**"****Good afternoon, beautiful," Christopher said.**

**"****You tapped me on the shoulder?"**

**"****Do you see anyone else in here?"**

**"****No. But you know that means nothing."**

**"****It means something."**

**"****What?" I asked. I was totally confused.**

**"****I don't know, but what tapped you?"**

**"****It wasn't you? But I don't sense anything else."**

**"****Your senses suck."**

**"****If my senses sucked, you'd have tried to kill Mary because you thought she was ghost, and you wouldn't have been able to do anything."**

**"****Whatever. Your big fiasco about that led us here, and this sucks."**

**"****You chose to come to my hotel that night. I didn't think you would."**

**"****I'm just saying we wouldn't be here if we would have just torched the bitch."**

**"****Whatever. She's back in Heaven, Gage is dead, and people aren't dying on that bridge anymore. Let's drop it."**

**"****Sure."**

**"****Why did the Assbutts whip you so badly and only got Sam once or twice?"**

**"****The dickholes, who kept me at your house?"**

**"****Yeah."**

**"****God if I know."**

**"****They didn't say anything to you?"**

**"****Nothing I could understand."**

**"****Do they hurt still?"**

**"****Wanna find out?" He smiled.**

**I shoved his face away and let go of his hand, crossing my arms over my chest. I stared at my lap, refusing to look at him.**

**"****Don't look away. Take off those glasses and let me see your eyes again."**

**I pushed my glasses on top of my head. But I still didn't look at him.**

**"****What's wrong?"**

**"****I really want to strangle you sometimes."**

**"****I really want you to, too."**

**I got up and left the room again. He was so infuriating! I felt like something was watching me but there was no one in the hallway. I walked back in on Christopher sleeping again.**

**"****How does a person fall asleep that fast?" I muttered.**

**"****If you want to call it sleeping," Chris woke again.**

**"****Do you keep feeling like something is watching you?"**

**"****All the time. It's kinda part of the job."**

**"****Great. You're so helpful," I said sarcastically.**

**The door banged, and I turned around. Nothing. There was no one.**

**I closed the door again and locked it. Then I looked around the room in the cabinets until I found a container of salt. I made a ring around the bed and sat next to Christopher.**

**"****You can't stop a reaper with salt."**

**"****But you're not dying. There's no reason for a reaper to be here, in this room."**

**"****It's a hospital, there are reapers everywhere."**

**"****But why would I feel like they're watching me, and why can't I sense them?"**

**"****Well you kinda bring death wherever you go, so I assume you just have one assigned to you."**

**I laughed at that one. **

**"****Good to see you laugh."**

**"****Is that what you've been trying to do this whole time?"**

**"****Make you laugh, maybe."**

**I kissed him. "Thanks. It's been a long time since someone tried to do that for me."**

**"****You're welcome."**

**"****Why are you following me and getting hurt for me? Why do you like me?"**

**"****I like the eyes. And the ears."**

**"****That's not a real reason."**

**"****Sure it is."**

**"****No it's not. Just because I'm always going to look like this doesn't give you permission to like me for my looks. Any girl can make herself look like me. So what makes me special that you want me?"**

**"****They can make themselves look like you but they will never be you."**

**"****That's what I'm asking you. What is it about me that you can't find in another girl? Why are you following me?"**

**"****Can't really follow you now. I'm very much in pain."**

**"****Whatever." I laid down by him with my back to him. He put his arms around my back.**

**"****I can't stay the night here, you know. If I could, I still wouldn't."**

**"****Fair enough, but this is still nice."**

**"****I remember doing this kind of thing. I haven't missed him all this time. I don't know why. Does that make me a bad person?"**

**"****No, maybe."**

**"****His name was Daniel."**

**"****Ha, I see, Danielle."**

**"****I don't know why I'm telling you all of this."**

**"****We might as well. I mean, why not?"**

**"****Well, I doubt you want to hear about my dead boyfriend. And it doesn't help that you're laughing at me."**

**"****I'm just laughing at everything."**

**"****Like what, exactly?"**

**"****This," he said, as a shelf toppled over.**

**"****What was that?" I asked, a note of fear entering my voice.**

**"****Well, I'll say that your reaper ain't here right now."**

**"****Christopher, what's going on?"**

**"****I call it dream walking," a voice said next to the fallen over shelf.**

**I jumped out of the bed, and backed myself against a wall. "Who are you? Show yourself."**

**"****Don't worry." Christopher opened his eyes. "It's just me."**

**"****So you're the one who's been watching me? And you really did tap me on the shoulder earlier?"**

**He smiled, "Yeah, I admit it."**

**"****But then...what are you?"**

**"****I have no idea."**

**"****I'd say you lied to me, but you never actually did. I assumed you were human, like you did with me."**

**"****I'm sure I'm human."**

**"****Then how can you do whatever it is that you just did?"**

**"****Ever since I was captured and tortured I've had these…out of body experiences?"**

**"****That doesn't make sense."**

**"****Sure it does, the people holding me up."**

**"****So, you won't be able to do it for much longer. As soon as your life isn't in danger anymore."**

**"****Yeah."**

**"****But with me, I have a feeling that will never go away."**

**"****I hope not. This is awesome."**

**"****Why were you freaking me out earlier, you jerk!"**

**"****I told you I was laughing at everything."**

**"****Jerk."**

**"****Babe."**

**"****I told you not to call me that. I'm not even your girlfriend. You have no reason to."**

**"****Your kisses say otherwise."**

**"****I'm not babe, got it? I call you by your name, you can call me by mine, or make something up that's more personal, at least. But I'm not going to be called that stereotypical, degrading word."**

**"****What ever you say, Nikkie."**

**I made a gurgling noise in the back of my throat and closed my eyes.**

**"****So, where should we go?" I asked when I didn't hit the floor, but continued to fall back.**

**"****Anywhere you want."**

**"****We should check on Dean, Sam, and Cas. Last time I let Dean drink alone, he came back trying not to fall over air and passed out as soon as his head hit the pillow."**

**"****Okay, well as you can see, I'm still on a gurney, so you need to go alone."**

**"****There's no way you can use this ability of yours?"**

**"****All I can do is walk around."**

**"****Isn't that all you need to do? And actually, you can touch people and push shelves over, too."**

**"****Touche."**

**"****So, we can check on Dean and the others, and then we can do whatever you want."**

**He gave me a look.**

**"****Within reason," I said, glaring at him.**

**He smiled stupidly and blushed.**

**"****Whatever you're thinking, don't do it."**

**"****You just assume every time I smile like that I'm having a dirty thought, don't you?"**

**"****You normally are."**

**"****Fair enough."**

**After a while, I asked, "Do you really think you're still human if you can do this for the rest of your life?"**

**"****Yup."**

**"****What would you do if you weren't human anymore?" I asked as a piece of the prophecy clicked into making sense.**

**"****I don't know. But I'm still human, so it doesn't matter."**

**"****It does to me."**

**"****Well, I don't know."**

**I opened my eyes, falling back onto the bed next to Christopher. I rolled onto my side so I was looking at him. His eyes flicked open.**

**"****I love seeing your eyes," he said softly.**

**I leaned a little closer, so our foreheads touched.**

**"****Is this how close you wanted me, earlier?"**

**"****No. But it'll do for now."**

**I didn't remember falling asleep, but I felt a strange falling sensation. I jerked awake.**

**"****I thought you said you couldn't and wouldn't stay the night?" Christopher asked.**

**"****Your fault," I mumbled.**

**"****My fault? Oh, no. Your fault," he teased, poking my nose between my eyes.**

**"****No. You stared at me and talked to me first, remember?"**

**"****But you didn't have to look at me or smirk at me the way you did. So, your fault."**

**"****You're not my boyfriend. Your fault."**

**"****Wait, what? How does not being your boyfriend make it my fault? I mean, the only reason for that would be if you're waiting around for me to…"**

**"****Your fault," I mumbled again as my eyes closed the rest of the way.**

**"****Nik, will-"**

**I didn't hear anything else. I was asleep again. **

**I woke up to someone shaking me gently.**

**"****What?" I groaned.**

**"****Nothing. Except your dad looks like he might kill me."**

**"****Which one?"**

**"****Both."**

**I opened my eyes and saw Dean and Cas standing against the wall. They looked pretty intimidating, and they were glaring at Christopher.**

**"****I didn't do it."**

**"****You didn't?" Dean asked.**

**"****We're not even dating."**

**"****Yeah," Chris's voice trailed off.**

**"****Oh. Okay, then. Come on, Cas. He's obviously not going anywhere yet, so we're stuck in this town until he is."**

**"****Sure, I can't move," Chris said, smiling deeply as he fell asleep.**

**They left, and I turned around. Christopher opened one eye at me.**

**"****You're so full of it. You know that?"**

**"****What?"**

**"****You can't move? Yeah, right."**

**"****I can't, my dream can."**

**"****Yeah, but Dean doesn't know that, does he?" I said, smirking.**

**"****He'll find out soon enough," Chris said devilishly.**

**"****I don't think so."**

**"****You can't control when I sleep."**

**"****I can control when I sleep."**

**"****So?"**

**"****So as long as I'm awake, you won't be doing anything without me knowing."**

**"****Won't stop me," He said, closing his eyes.**

**"****No. But I know something that will."**

**I got up and tried to walk out the door again. The door shut before I was out.**

**"****Really? I mean, really? You know if want, I can leave anytime and you won't have any idea where I've gone."**

**His eyes open again, "What will stop me from doing this?"**

**"****Your feelings for me."**

**"****I hate it when you're right."**

**"****So, are you going to stop or not?"**

**"****It's not hurting people."**

**"****And?"**

**"****Why should I stop?"**

**"****Because there's no point, and because it's probably wasting your energy. You're supposed to be trying to get better."**

**"****I feel fine, for someone who has been beaten to a pulp."**

**I went back to the bed and looked at the cuts. Some of them were already almost gone. Others, not so much. The one on his face was still angry red. I kissed his cheek gently over the cut. He smiled stupidly.**

**"****Shut up," I said.**

**"****I didn't do anything."**

**"****You didn't have to. That smile says everything."**

**"****Yeah, sure, cause smiles always mean sexual." He seemed saddened by this.**

**"****I didn't mean it like that, but whatever. If that's the way you want to take it."**

**"****What did you mean, then?"**

**"****Just that I'm not normally this emotional and you're smirking about it."**

**"****Am not. I think it's cute."**

**"****And that's why I said shut up. I hate being called cute. I'm not a puppy or a kitten, and I'm not a little kid."**

**"****Coulda fooled me," he said, grinning.**

**I rolled my eyes and kneeled down, rummaging around in my backpack. I found my iPod and laid down next to him again.**

**"****What kind of music do you listen to?"**

**"****Rock, pop, and emocore. Those are my favorite genres, but I'll pretty much listen to anything except rap. I only like certain rap songs."**

**"****Eh."**

**"****I'm going to make you listen to a song that describes me. You played 'Behind Blue Eyes' for me, I'm going to play this song for you."**

**"****What song?"**

**I covered his mouth with my hand. "Just listen."**

**'****Numb' by Nightcore whispered into my ear as more memories of my family were dredged up.**

**"****_Tired of being what you want me to be. Feeling so faithless, lost under the surface. I don't know what you're expecting of me, but under the pressure of walking in your shoes, caught in in the undertow. Just caught in the undertow. Every step that I take is just another mistake to you. Caught in the undertow. Just caught in the undertow. I've become so numb, I can't feel you there. Become so tired, so much more aware. I'm becoming this, all I want to do is be more like me, and be less like you. Can't you see that you're smothering me? Holding too tightly, afraid to lose control. Cause everything that you thought I would be is falling apart, right in front of you. Caught in the undertow. Just caught in the undertow. Every step that I take is another mistake to you. Caught in the undertow. Just caught in the undertow. And every second I waste is more than I can take. I've become so numb, I can't feel you there. Become so tired, so much more aware. I'm becoming this, and all I want to do is be more like me and be less like you. And I know I may end up failing, too. And I know you were just like me with someone disappointed in you. I've become so numb, I can't feel you there. Become so tired, so much more aware. I'm becoming this and all I want to do is be more like me and be less like you. I've become so numb. I've become so numb. I've become so numb, I can't feel you there. Become so tired, so much more aware. I'm becoming this, all I want to do is be more like me and be less like you. Can't you see that you're smothering me? Holding too tightly, afraid to lose control. Cause everything that you thought I would be is falling apart right in front of you. Caught in the undertow. Just caught in the undertow. Every step that I take is another mistake to you. Caught in the undertow. Just caught in the undertow. And every second I waste is more than I can take. I've become so numb., I can't feel you there. Become so tired so much more aware. I'm becoming this, all I want to do is be more like me and be less like you. And I know I may end up failing, too. And I know you were just like me with someone disappointed in you. I've become so numb, I can't feel you there. Become so tired, so much more aware. I'm becoming this and all I want to do is be more like me and be less like you."_**

**I closed my eyes and remembered my parents and my two brothers with fondness. It was my sister that had hurt me. I missed her, because I loved her and she was my sister, but she had hurt me, too.**

**I rebuilt my house in my mind. I walked the path home from school, and walked in the front door. I could hear my parents in the living room, yelling at my sister for another thing she'd done. Drinking at a party, apparently. My parents finished their rant while I was taking my shoes off. Rina stomped out and glanced towards the door. Seeing me, she picked up my shoes and carried them upstairs. She dropped them in my room and I took of my backpack. The same, beaten up one I had now.**

**Rina grabbed my hand and led me to her room. I sat on the bed while she paced between her window and closet.**

**"****There's another party tonight. You should come with me."**

**"****You know I don't like parties."**

**"****You will. You want to be like me, don't you? And Saturday is Homecoming."**

**I was fourteen years old, and my seventeen year old sister wanted me to be just like her.**

**"****I don't want to go."**

**"****Well, if you want to be like me, then you have to. I attend every social event."**

**She tossed a dress at me, since I was already almost as tall as her.**

**"****Go put that on. If you go, Mom and Dad will let me go. We'll have fun."**

**I stepped into her bathroom and put on the frilly, pink monstrosity and walked back out. I hated my sister shoving her girly crap and social side onto me. I couldn't do anything about it, because she'd threatened to get Mom and Dad to break Daniel and I up. I had nothing against her.**

**"****Don't you have anything else I can wear, at least?"**

**"****But it's so cute."**

**I glared at the floor. My voice came out carefully controlled.**

**"****I hate pink and lace and bows. This dress is yours. It's nothing like me. I hate it."**

**"****Well, get used to it. To be as popular as me, you have to dress like me, act like me, and have the same kinds of friends as me."**

**"****What if I don't want it? What then?"**

**"****What are you talking about? Of course you do! You're lucky to have a popular older sister like me to show you the ropes of high school. Most of your current friends aren't nearly so lucky."**

**My sister came out of the closet in a dress similar to the one I wore, but sunset orange. And ir actually looked good on her. Between the pink of the dress, my blue bangs, and the piercings, I looked like metallic cotton candy.**

**"****Alright, close your eyes."**

**She put makeup on me, and did something with my bangs.**

**"****Alright, now open them."**

**I did not see myself reflected in the mirror. I saw a tiny, metal head Rina. I did not like the image. My personality did not fit this person.**

**My sister finished getting herself ready, then tugged me downstairs with her.**

**"****Bye Mom, bye Dad! Nik and I are going to a party!"**

**She closed the door behind us and forced me to run with her to her pink Chevy Chevelle. The tires squealed and smoke curled in the air as Rina hit the gas.**

**When we arrived, I could see disco lights through the windows, I could hear the music from where we'd parked across the street, and several people were there. I really wanted to leave.**

**"****Come on. There's someone here I want you to meet."**

**She took my hand and took me around the back of the school. There were three guys back there. Two guys with "jock" jackets, and a guy who wasn't with the others. He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He was wearing mostly black, with steel toe work boots.**

**"****Come on, let's go meet some boys," she said dragging me along to the jocks.**

**"****Hey boys," my sister said in her annoying high pitched voice.**

**"****Hey girl," one of the jocks hugged her.**

**The other jock who wasn't feeling up my sister pulled out a pack of cigarettes. My sister pushed away the jock and held her hand out to the one with the smokes.**

**"****If you're gonna smoke you might as well buy your own. You know, we're rich," I said, disgusted but not surprised.**

**"****Do you really think mom would let me do that?" She smirked, before snatching the smokes and pulling one out.**

**"****Hey babe, you want some?" The one jock with the pack offered.**

**"****If you call me babe again, I'll neuter you," I said, still not wanting to be here.**

**"****Bitch," he said, looking away and pulling out a lighter.**

**"****Thank you," I said flatly.**

**The guy looked at me like I was an idiot. I didn't bother looking at him again.**

**"****Lighten up, sis. It's a party. You look good, and there's a ton of boys here. Go meet one."**

**"****Whatever. This is a party you dragged me to, and you made me all girly for it. You go meet some boys."**

**"****I already did," she said, her voice extra flirty.**

**I rolled my eyes and walked back to the car. My sister had no idea, but I kept a spare outfit in her trunk at all times just for these kinds of occasions. I heard footsteps behind me.**

**"****Leaving so soon?"**

**"****I can't leave until she takes me home. I have more comfortable clothes in the trunk is all. Can I help you?"**

**"****Naw, I just thought I would come over and say hi."**

**"****High? No, I don't smoke," I said, smirking over my shoulder. It was the guy who'd been leaning against the wall over near the jocks.**

**"****No, not high, hi, like hello."**

**"****Ever heard a joke before?" I asked as I popped her trunk and grabbed my bag of clothes.**

**"****Oh, yeah." He laughed nervously.**

**I closed the trunk and headed to into the school so I could change in one of the bathrooms.**

**"****Is there a reason you're following me?"**

**"****I, ah, I just wanted to ask about your ears. They're… different."**

**"****Make fun of the weirdo day, huh? Well, no, I haven't done anything to my ears, and the patterns on my face aren't tattoos. I was born like this."**

**"****What, no, they're pretty."**

**"****Oh. Well, thanks, I guess. Everyone is always making fun of me for being so different."**

**"****You're like an elf, or a pixie."**

**"****Okay...well, nice talking to you, but you can't follow me into the girls bathroom, so… see ya around."**

**"****Okay then… bye," he said, walking away.**

**I went in and changed stuffing the stupid dress and heels in the bag and wiping away the makeup. Instead, I put on black jeans, a black tank top with an AMC Javelin on the front, a pair of blue tennis shoes, and my favorite pair of biker gloves.**

**I felt way better and walked back to the car. I tossed the horrid clothes in the trunk and went back to my sister. I didn't know anyone here, they were all high schoolers. When I got back to the alley my sister was in, nobody was there.**

**"****Rina? Rina, where the bloody hell did you go?"**

**"****Your sister ain't here," a deep voice said behind me.**

**"****Highschoolers."**

**"****Yupp, and you're surrounded." He sounded excited. **

**"****Oh no, I'm so scared," I laughed, reaching in my back pocket for my butterfly knife.**

**"****Oh, you should be," the one coming out of the school said.**

**"****I'm not. So, what could the drunks possibly want with me?"**

**"****Who said we were drunk?"**

**"****My knife did," I said, pulling it out and keeping it in front of me, checking over my shoulder. Indeed, I was surrounded.**

**"****Girl with bad intentions, I like that," one of them said, advancing.**

**"****Stay back, or else."**

**"****Else what little lady?"**

**"****How many of you would like to die?"**

**"****How many do you plan to kill?" They all start to advance. There were seven of the fuckers.**

**I ran at the one in front of me, with the full intent to kill. He fell to the ground before I reached him. Someone took the knife from my hand and ran past me. Some of the guys backed off. Another dropped at the person's hand, and the rest ran off. I looked behind me. It was quite a tall guy who I seemed to know, I thought.**

**"****You need to come with me, this isn't right," he said in a melancholy voice.**

**"****What isn't right? What are you talking about? Where's my sister?"**

**"****Your sister is not your sister, or maybe she is. I dont know. But you still need to come with me."**

**"****That doesn't make any fucking sense!"**

**"****In this world, nothing does," he says, grabbing my arm and dragging me out of the alley.**

**"****Where are you taking me?"**

**"****To my car," he said, dragging me to a Firebird.**

**"****I don't even know your name."**

**"****You don't remember," he stops me.**

**"****What are you talking about? Did you step out of an insane asylum or something?"**

**"****For your sake and the sake of time, sure. Now please get in my car."**

**"****Who the bloody hell are you?"**

**"****If I tell you will you get in the fucking car?"**

**I smirked at him. "I won't get in a fucking car, no. But I'll get in an amazing muscle car."**

**"****I'm done, Cas!" he yelled to the sky and with some sort of flash a guy was standing next to him.**

**I yanked my arm away from the first guy and backed away from the duo.**

**"****Until someone tells me what the bloody hell is going on here, and until I know who the fuck you two are, I'm not going anywhere with you."**

**"****Do the zap thing, Cas, with the fingers."**

**"****Stay away from me," I said, turning around and running.**

**The man appeared in front of me and put two fingers to my forehead. I blacked out.**

**When I came to, I was in the back of a car with two strangers. I reached for the door handle, but my hands were cuffed behind my back.**

**The man looked in the windshield mirror. "If it wasn't me it was destined to be you," he chuckled at his own joke.**

**"****Where the fuck am I, who the fuck are you two, and why the hell are you kidnapping me?"**

**"****I'm your dad," The one in the tan trenchcoat said.**

**"****I already have a dad."**

**"****Well, you have three now."**

**"****He's a bit young, don't you think?"**

**"****Not him, you dunce. Dean."**

**"****Okay, so you're supposedly my dad. Who are you supposed to be?" I asked, looking at the driver in the mirror.**

**"****Just a friend, as you've put it."**

**"****What do you mean, as I've put it? I've never met either of you in my life!"**

**"****I wouldn't cuff someone I just met."**

**"****And yet you were 'just done' when I cracked a joke...whenever the hell it was."**

**"****About thirty minutes ago," the trenchcoat guy said with a smile.**

**"****Why are you taking me from my family? Who are you?"**

**"****I'm your father, Cas, and he is your boyfriend, Christopher."**

**"****You're both from an insane asylum," I muttered. "He just called me a friend. And you still haven't explained. Why are you taking me?"**

**"****What year is it and how old are you?"**

**It's two thousand thirteen. I'm fourteen."**

**"****You're wrong. It's two thousand sixteen. You're seventeen."**

**"****How is that possible? How would you know?"**

**"****I know because I know how to math," my 'boyfriend' said sarcastically.**

**"****Love your grammar. And, sorry, but I crossed the date out on my calendar this morning. I know what day it is."**

**"****What day is it then?"**

**"****Thursday."**

**"****I dont know if this is another fucking joke, but I need you to remember the date."**

**"****I think we all know what bloody day it is," another man popped in next to me.**

**"****Dean?"**

**"****Oh god no," he said.**

**"****Then who the fuck are you?"**

**"****Mouthier than you were after today."**

**"****Would someone please explain what the bloody hell is going on?"**

**"****We have no idea, we just know we need to get you back to your house."**

**"****Umm, why?"**

**"****Well, you see everyone you know is going to die."**

**"****What?"**

**"****Still want the truth, love," the man on my left said.**

**Before I could open my mouth, I heard shattering glass. That was it. Then I was stuck in an upside down car with a pole stuck through my chest.**

**"****I'm a shish-kabob," I tried to laugh.**

**Blood spurted from me. I could feel myself growing weak. I could hear them talking outside, something about a fire. Christopher looked under the car where I was and made a 'oh my god' face. I could feel the car rumble as the fire spread to the inside of the car.**

**I saw a flash of blue and yellow light, and my eardrums popped. Then, nothing.**

**I sat up as fast as I could and looked at Christopher next to me. His eyes were as wide as mine.**


End file.
